m 


LIB  RARY 

OF   THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

GIKT    OK 


Received     ^DT  271892       ,  189  .... 
Accessions  No.  l\-*6Q\b        S  keif  No. 


THE 


WING-AND-WING; 


OR, 


LE  FEU-FOLLET. 

'    1  Cub. 

BY    J.     FENIMORE      COOPER 


"Know, 

Without  star  or  angel  for  their  guide, 
Who  worship  God  shall  find  him."— 


CO M P LETE  ~f>N  fowjf\  VOL  UME. 


NEW    EDITION. 


NEW    YORK: 
STRINGER      AND      TOWNSEND. 

1867. 


WING-AND-WIFQ. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  18-32  bv 
I.    FENIMORE  COOPEK. 

in  the  office  </  the  derk  of  the  district  court  of  the  United  States  in 
and  fur  the  northern  district  of  New  Yorh. 


PREFACE. 


14 


THE  question,  of  how  much  of  the  following  legend 
is  severely  true,  and  how  much  fiction,  is  left  in 
doubt,  with  the  express  intention,  that  such  histo 
rians,  as  having  nothing  useful  to  do,  may  employ 
their  time  in  drawing  the  lines  for  their  own  amuse 
ment. 

As  to  the  scene  chosen  for  this  tale,  no  apology  is 
deemed  necessary.  To  invent  excuses  for  carrying 
a  man,  either  physically  or  in  the  imagination,  into  a 
sea  like  the  Mediterranean,  and  on  a  coast  like  that 
of  Italy,  would  be  an  affectation  of  which  we  have 
no  idea  of  being  guilty.  It  is  true — nay,  it  is  proba 
ble —  that  we  may  render  the  execution  unequal  to 
the  design,  but  there  can  be  no  great  harm  in  nobly 
daring,  except  to  him  who  is  injured  by  his  own 
failure.  We  hope  that  they  who  have  ever  beheld  the 
scenes  we  have  faintly  and  so  imperfectly  described, 
will  pardon  our  defects,  for  the  good  we  have  intended 
them ;  and  that  those  who  have  never  been  so  for 
tunate,  will  find  even  our  tame  pictures  so  much 
superior  to  the  realities  they  have  elsewhere  witness 
ed,  as  to  fancy  we  have  succeeded. 

Of  Raoul  Yvard  Ghita  Caraccioli,  and  the  Little 
Folly,  we  have  no  more  to  say  than  is  to  be  found  in 
the  body  of  the  work.  As  Sancho  told  the  knight,  they 


iv  PREFACE. 

who  gave  us  the  facts  connected  with  all  three — we 
class  a  vessel  among  animals — said  they  were  so  cer 
tain,  that  we  might  safely  swear  they  were  absolutely 
true.  If  we  are  in  error,  it  is  a  misfortune  we  share 
in  common  with  honest  Panza,  and  that,  too,  on  a 
subject  about  equal,  in  moment,  to  the  one  in  which 
he  was  misled. 

After  all,  the  world  hears  little,  and  knows  less,  of 
the  infinity  of  details  that  make  up  the  sum  of  the 
incidents  of  the  sea.  Historians  glean  a  few  prom 
inent  circumstances,  connected  perhaps  with  battles, 
treaties,  shipwrecks,  or  chases,  and  the  rest  is  left 
a  blank  to  the  great  bulk  of  the  human  race.  It  has 
been  well  said,  that  the  life  of  every  man,  if  simply 
and  clearly  related,  would  be  found  to  contain  a  fund 
of  useful  and  entertaining  information ;  and  it  is 
equally  true,  that  the  day  of  every  ship  would  fur 
nish  something  of  interest  to  relate,  could  the  dry 
records  of  the  log-book  be  given  in  the  graphic  lan 
guage  of  observation  and  capacity.  A  ship,  alone, 
in  the  solitude  of  the  ocean,  is  an  object  for  reflection, 
and  a  source  of  poetical,  as  well  as  of  moral  feeling ; 
and  as  we  seldom  tire  of  writing  about  her,  we  have 
more  than  a  sympathetic  desire,  that  they  who  do  us 
the  honour  to  form  a  sort  of  literary  dientelle,  will 
never  tire  of  reading. 

Our  chief  concern,  on  the  present  occasion,  is  on 
the  subject  of  the  contrast  we  have  attempted  to 
draw  between  profound  belief  and  light-hearted  in 
fidelity.  We  think  both  pictures  true  to  the  periods 


PREFACE.  V 

and  the  respective  countries,  and  we  have  endeavour 
ed  to  draw  both  with  due  relief,  and  totally  without 
exaggeration.  That  strong  natural  sympathies  can 
exist  between  those  who  are  widely  separated  on  such 
a  subject,  every  day's  experience  proves ;  and  that 
some  are  to  be  found  in  whom  principle  is  stronger 
than  even  the  most  insinuating  and  deceptive  of  all 
our  passions,  we  not  only  hope,  but  trustfully  believe. 
We  have  endeavoured  to  assign  the  higher  and  most 
enduring  quality  to  that  portion  of  the  race,  in  which 
we  are  persuaded  it  is  the  most  likely  to  be  found. 

This  is  the  seventh  sea-tale  we  have  ventured  to 
offer  to  the  public.  When  the  first  was  written,  our 
friends  confidently  predicted  its  failure,  on  account 
of  the  meagreness  of  the  subject,  as  well  as  of  its 
disagreeable  accompaniments.  Not  only  did  that  pre 
diction  prove  untrue,  as  to  our  own  humble  effort, 
but  the  public  taste  has  lasted  sufficiently  long  to 
receive,  from  other  quarters,  a  very  respectable  pro 
geny  of  that  parent  of  this  class  of  writing.  We 
only  hope  that,  in  the  present  instance,  there  may  be 
found  a  sufficient  family  resemblance,  to  allow  of  this 
particular  bantling  to  pass  in  the  crowd,  as  one  of  a 
numerous  family. 


LE    FEU-FOLLET. 


CHAPTER  I. 

*  Filled  with  the  face  of  heaven,  which  from  afar, 

Comes  down  upon  the  waters ;  all  its  hues, 

From  the  rich  sunset  to  the  rising  star, 

Their  magical  variety  diffuse : 

And  now  they  change ;  a  paler  shadow  strews 

Its  mantle  o'er  the  mountains ;  parting  day 

Dies  like  the  dolphin,  whom  each  pang  imbues 

With  a  new  colour  as  it  gasps  away, 
The  last  still  loveliest,  till  —  'tis  gone  —  and  all  is  grey." 

Ctiilde  Harold 

THE  charms  of  the  Tyrrhenian  Sea  have  been  sung  since 
the  days  of  Homer.  That  the  Mediterranean,  generally, 
and  its  beautiful  boundaries  of  Alps  and  Apennines,  with  its 
deeply  indented  and  irregular  shores,  forms  the  most  delightful 
region  of  the  known  earth,  in  all  that  relates  to  climate, 
productions,  and  physical  formation,  will  be  readily  enough 
conceded  by  the  traveller.  The  countries  that  border  on 
this  midland  water,  with  their  promontories  buttressing 
mimic  ocean — their  mountain-sides  teeming  with  the  pictu 
resque  of  human  life  —  their  heights  crowned  with  watch 
towers — their  rocky  shelves  consecrated  by  hermitages,  and 
their  unrivalled  sheet  dotted  with  sails, -rigged,  as  it  might  be, 
expressly  to  produce  effect  in  a  picture,  form  a  sort  of  world 
apart,  that  is  replete  with  delights  to  all  who  have  the  happy 
fortune  to  feel  charms,  which  not  only  fascinate  the  beholder, 
but  which  linger  in  the  memories  of  the  absent  like  visions 
of  a  glorious  past. 

Our  present  business  is  with  this  fragment  of  a  creation 
that  is  so  eminently  beautiful,  even  in  its  worst  aspects,  bin 

(7) 


8  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

which  is  so  often  marred  by  the  passions  of  man,  in  its  best. 
While  all  admit  how  much  nature  has  done  for  the  Mediter 
ranean,  none  will  deny  that,  until  quite  recently,  it  has  been 
the  scene  of  more  ruthless  violence,  and  of  deeper  personal 
wrongs,  perhaps,  than  any  other  portion  of  the  globe.  With 
different  races,  more  widely  separated  by  destinies,  than  even 
by  origin,  habits  and  religion,  occupying  its  northern  and 
southern  shores,  the  outwork,  as  it  might  be,  of  Christianity 
and  Mohammedanism,  and  of  an  antiquity  that  defies  history, 
the  bosom  of  this  blue  expanse  has  mirrored  more  violence, 
has  witnessed  more  scenes  of  slaughter,  and  heard  more 
shouts  of  victory,  between  the  days  of  Agamemnon  and 
Nelson,  than  all  the  rest  of  the  dominions  of  Neptune  together. 
Nature  and  the  passions  have  united  to  render  it  like  the 
human  countenance,  which  conceals  by  its  smiles  and  god 
like  expression,  the  furnace  that  so  often  glows  within  the 
heart,  and  the  volcano  that  consumes  our  happiness.  For 
centuries,  the  Turk  and  the  Moor  rendered  it  unsafe  for  the 
European  to  navigate  these  smiling  coasts ;  and  when  the 
barbarian's  power  temporarily  ceased,  it  was  merely  to  give 
place  to  the  struggles  of  those  who  drove  him  from  the 
arena  by  their  larger  resources. 

The  circumstances  which  rendered  the  period  that  occurred 
between  the  years  1790  and  1815,  the  most  eventful  of 
modern  times,  are  familiar  to  all ;  though  the  incidents  which 
chequered  that  memorable  quarter  of  a  century,  have  already 
passed  into  history.  All  the  elements  of  strife  that  then 
agitated  the  world,  appear  now  to  have  subsided  as  com 
pletely  as  if  they  owed  their  existence  to  a  remote  age ;  and 
living  men  recall  the  events  of  their  youth,  as  they  regard 
the  recorded  incidents  of  other  centuries.  Then,  each  month 
brought  its  defeat,  or  its  victory ;  its  account  of  a  govern 
ment  overturned,  or  of  a  province  conquered.  The  world 
was  agitated  like  men  m  a  tumult.  On  that  epoch  the  timid 
look  back  with  wonder;  the  young,  with  doubt;  and  the 
restless,  with  envy. 

The  years  1798  and  1799  were  two  of  the  most  memor 
able  of  this  ever-memorable  period ;  and  to  that  stirring  and 
teeming  season  we  must  carry  the  mind  of  the  reader,  in 
order  to  place  it  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes  it  is  our  object  to 
portray. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

Towards  the  close  of  a  fine  day  in  the  month  of  August, 
a  light  fairy-like  craft  was  fanning  her  way,  before  a  gentle 
westerly  air,  into  what  is  called  the  Canal  of  Piombino, 
steering  easterly.  The  rigs  of  the  Mediterranean  are  pro- 
verbial  for  their  picturesque  beauty  and  quaintness,  em. 
bracing  the  xebeque,  the  felucca,  the  polacre,  and  the 
bombarda,  or  ketch ;  all  unknown,  or  nearly  so,  to  our  own 
seas  ;  and  occasionally  the  lugger.  The  latter,  a  species  of 
craft,  however,  much  less  common  in  the  waters  of  Italy, 
than  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay  and  the  British  Channel,  was  the 
construction  of  the  vessel  in  question ;  a  circumstance  that 
the  mariners  who  eyed  her  from  the  shores  of  Elba,  deemed 
indicative  of  mischief.  A  three-masted  lugger,  that  spread 
a  wide  breadth  of  canvass,  with  a  low,  dark  hull,  relieved 
by  a  single  and  almost  imperceptible  line  of  red  beneath  her 
channels,  and  a  waist  so  deep  that  nothing  was  visible  above 
it  but  the  hat  of  some  mariner,  taller  than  common,  was 
considered  a  suspicious  vessel,  and  not  even  a  fisherman 
would  have  ventured  out  within  reach  of  a  shot,  so  long  as 
her  character  was  unknown.  Privateers,  or  corsairs,  as  it 
*vas  the  fashion  to  term  them,  (and  the  name,  with  even  its 
English  signification,  was  often  merited  by  their  acts,)  not 
unfrequently  glided  down  that  coast ;  and  it  was  sometimes 
dangerous  for  those  who  belonged  to  friendly  nations  to 
meet  them,  in  moments  when  the  plunder  that  a  relic  of 
barbarism  still  legalizes,  had  failed. 

The  lugger  was  actually  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
tons  admeasurement ;  but  her  dark  paint,  and  low  hull,  gave 
her  an  appearance  of  being  much  smaller  than  she  really 
was ;  still,  the  spread  of  her  canvass,  as  she  came  down 
before  the  wind  wing-and-wing,  as  seamen  term  it,  or  with 
a  sail  fanning  like  the  heavy  pinions  of  a  sea-fowl,  on  each 
side,  betrayed  her  pursuits ;  and,  as  has  been  intimated,  the 
mariners  on  the  shore,  who  watched  her  movements,  shook 
their  heads  in  distrust,  as  they  communed  among  themselves, 
in  very  indifferent  Italian,  concerning  her  destination  and 
object.  This  observation,  with  its  accompanying  discourse, 
occurred  on  the  rocky  bluff  above  the  town  of  Porto  Ferrajo, 
in  the  Island  of  Elba,  a  spot  that  has  since  become  so  re 
nowned  as  the  capital  of  the  mimic  dominion  of  Napoleon. 
Indeed,  the  very  dwelling  which  was  subsequently  used  by 


10  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

the  fallen  emperor  as  a  palace,  stood  within  a  hundred  yards 
of  the  speakers,  looking  out  towards  the  entrance  of  the 
canal,  and  the  mountains  of  Tuscany ;  or  rather,  of  the 
little  principality  of  Piombino,  the  system  of  merging  tha 
smaller  in  the  larger  states  of  Europe  not  having  yet  been 
brought  into  extensive  operation.  This  house,  a  building 
of  the  size  of  a  better  sort  of  country  residence  of  our  own, 
was  then,  as  now,  occupied  by  the  Florentine  governor  of 
the  Tuscan  portion  of  the  island.  It  stands  on  the  extremity 
of  a  low  rocky  promontory  that  forms  the  western  ramparts 
of  the  deep  extensive  bay,  on  the  side  of  which,  ensconced 
behind  a  very  convenient  curvature  of  the  rocks,  which  hero 
incline  westward  in  the  form  of  a  hook,  lies  the  small  port, 
completely  concealed  from  the  sea,  as  if  in  dread  of  visits 
like  those  which  might  be  expected  from  craft  resembling 
the  suspicious  stranger.  This  little  port,  not  as  large  in 
itself  as  a  modern  dock  in  places  like  London  or  Liverpool, 
was  sufficiently  protected  against  any  probable  dangers,  by 
suitable  batteries  ;  and  as  for  the  elements,  a  vessel  laid  upon 
a  shelf  in  a  closet  would  be  scarcely  more  secure.  In  this 
domestic  little  basin,  which,  with  the  exception  of  a  narrow 
entrance  was  completely  surrounded  by  buildings,  lay  a 
few  feluccas,  that  traded  between  the  island  and  the  adja 
cent  main,  and  a  solitary  Austrian  ship,  which  had  corne 
from  the  head  of  the  Adriatic,  in  quest  of  iron,  as  it  was 
pretended,  but  as  much  to  assume  the  appearance  of  trade 
with  the  Italian  dependency,  as  with  any  other  purpose. 

At  the  moment  of  which  we  are  writing,  however,  but  a 
dozen  living  beings  were  visible  in  or  about  all  these  craft. 
The  intelligence  that  a  strange  lugger,  resembling  the  one 
described,  was  in  the  offing,  had  drawn  nearly  all  the  man 
ners  ashore ;  and  most  of  the  habitues  of  the  port  had  fol 
lowed  them  up  the  broad  steps  of  the  crooked  streets  which 
led  to  the  heights  behind  the  town  ;  or  to  the  rocky  eleva 
tion  that  overlooks  the  sea  from  north-east  to  west.  The 
approach  of  the  lugger  had  produced  some  such  effect  on  the 
mariners  of  this  unsophisticated  and  little-frequented  port, 
as  that  of  the  hawk  is  known  to  excite  among  the  timid 
tenants  of  the  barn-yard.  The  rig  of  the  stranger,  in  itself 
a  suspicious  circumstance,  had  been  noted  two  hours  before, 
by  one  or  two  old  coasters,  who  habitually  passed  their  idle 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  H 

moments  on  the  heights,  examining  the  signs  of  the  weather, 
and  indulging  in  gossip ;  and  their  conjectures  had  drawn  to 
the  Porto  Ferrajo  mall  some  twenty  men,  who  fancied  them 
selves,  or  who  actually  were,  cognoscenti  in  matters  of  the 
sea.  When,  however,  the  low,  long,  dark  hull,  which 
upheld  such  wide  sheets  of  canvass,  became  fairly  visible, 
the  omens  thickened,  rumours  spread,  and  hundreds  collected 
on  the  spot,  which,  in  Manhattanese  parlance,  would  proba 
bly  have  been  called  a  battery.  Nor  would  the  name  havo 
been  altogether  inappropriate,  as  a  small  battery  was  estab 
lished  there,  and  that,  too,  in  a  position  which  would  easily 
throw  a  shot  two-thirds  of  a  league,  into  the  offing ;  or  about 
the  distance  that  the  stranger  was  now  from  the  shore. 

Tommaso  Tonti  was  the  oldest  mariner  of  Elba,  and, 
luckily,  being  a  sober,  and  usually  a  discreet  man,  he  was 
the  oracle  of  the  island,  in  most  things  that  related  to  the 
sea.  As  each  citizen,  wine-dealer,  grocer,  innkeeper,  or 
worker  in  iron,  came  upon  the  height,  he  incontinently  in 
quired  for  Tonti,  or  'Maso,  as  he  was  generally  called  ;  and 
getting  the  bearings  and  distance  of  the  grey-headed  old 
seaman,  he  invariably  made  his  way  to  his  side,  until  a 
group  of  some  two  hundred  men,  women  and  children,  had 
clustered  near  the  person  of  the  pilota,  as  the  faithful 
gather  about  a  favourite  expounder  of  the  law,  in  moments 
of  religious  excitement.  It  was  worthy  of  remark,  too,  with 
how  much  consideration  this  little  crowd  of  gentle  Italians 
treated  their  aged  seaman,  on  this  occasion ;  none  bawling 
out  their  questions,  and  all  using  the  greatest  care  not  to  get 
in  front  of  his  person,  lest  they  might  intercept  his  means 
of  observation.  Five  or  six  old  sailors,  like  himself,  were 
close  at  his  side :  these,  it  is  true-  did  not  hesitate  to  speak 
as  became  their  experience.  But  Tonti  had  obtained  no 
small  part  of  his  reputation  by  exercising  great  moderation 
in  delivering  his  oracles,  and,  perhaps,  by  seeming  to  know 
more  than  he  actually  revealed.  He  was  reserved,  therefore; 
and  white  his  brethren  of  the  sea  ventured  on  sundry  con 
flicting  opinions  concerning  the  character  of  the  stranger, 
and  a  hundred  idle  conjectures  had  flown  from  mouth  to 
mouth,  among  the  landsmen  and  females,  not  a  syllable  that 
could  commit  the  old  man,  had  escaped  his  lips.  He  let  the 
others  talk  at  will  ;  as  for  himself,  it  suited  his  habits,  and 


LEFEU-FOLLET. 

possibly  his  difficulties  in  deciding,  to  main  .am  a  grave  and 
portentous  silence. 

We  have  spoken  of  females :  as  a  matter  of  course,  an 
event  like  this,  in  a  town  of  some  three  or  four  thousand 
souls,  would  be  likely  to  draw  a  due  proportion  of  the  gentler 
sex  to  the  heights.  Most  of  them  contrived  to  get  as  near 
as  possible  to  the  aged  seaman,  in  order  to  obtain  the  first 
intelligence,  that  it  might  be  the  sooner  circulated ;  but,  it 
would  seem,  that  among  the  younger  of  these,  there  was 
also  a  sort  of  oracle  of  their  own,  about  whose  person 
gathered  a  dozen  of  the  prettiest  girls  ;  either  anxious  to  hear 
what  Ghita  might  have  to  say  in  the  premises,  or,  perhaps, 
influenced  by  the  pride  and  modesty  of  their  sex  and  condi 
tion,  which  taught  them  to  maintain  a  little  more  reserve 
than  was  necessary  to  the  less  refined  portion  of  their  com 
panions.  In  speaking  of  condition,  however,  the  word  must 
be  understood  with  an  exceedingly  limited  meaning.  Porto 
Ferrajo  had  but  two  classes  of  society,  the  trades-people  and 
the  labourers  ;  although  there  were,  perhaps,  a  dozen  excep 
tions,  in  the  persons  of  a  few  humble  functionaries  of  the 
government,  an  av vacate,  a  medico,  and  a  few  priests.  The 
governor  of  the  island  was  a  Tuscan  of  rank,  but  he  seldom 
honoured  the  place  with  his  presence,  and  his  deputy  was  a 
professional  man,  a  native  of  the  town,  whose  original 
position  was  too  well  known  to  allow  him  to  give  himself  airs 
on  the  spot  where  he  was  born.  Ghita's  companions,  then, 
were  daughters  of  shopkeepers,  and  persons  of  that  class, 
who,  having  been  taught  to  read,  and  occasionally  going  to 
Leghorn,  beside  being  admitted  by  the  deputy  to  the  presence 
of  his  housekeeper,  had  got  to  regard  themselves  as  a  little 
elevated  above  the  more  vulgar  curiosity  of  the  less  culti 
vated  girls  of  the  port.  Ghita  herself,  however,  owed  her 
ascendency  to  her  qualities,  rather  than  to  the  adventitious 
advantage  of  being  a  grocer's  or  an  inkeeper's  daughter,  her 
origin  being  unknown  to  most  of  those  around  her,  as  indeed 
was  her  family  name.  She  had  been  landed  six  weeks 
before,  and  left  by  one  who  passed  for  her  father,  at  the  inn 
of  Cristoforo  Dovi,  as  a  boarder,  and  had  acquired  all  her 
influence,  as  so  many  reach  notoriety  in  our  own  simple 
society,  by  the  distinction  of  having  travelled  ;  aided,  some- 
what,  by  her  strong  sense,  great  decision  of  character,  per- 


LE     FEU -POL  LET.  13 

feet  modesty  and  propriety  of  deportment,  with  a  form  which 
was  singularly  graceful  and  feminine,  and  a  face,  that,  while 
it  could  scarcely  be  called  beautiful,  was,  in  the  highest 
degree,  winning  and  attractive.  No  one  thought  of  asking 
her  family  name;  and  she  never  appeared  to  deem  it  necessary 
to  mention  it.  Ghita  was  sufficient ;  it  was  familiar  to  every 
one ;  and,  although  there  were  two  or  three  others  of  the 
same  appellation,  in  Porto  Ferrajo,  this,  by  common  consent, 
got  to  be  the  Ghita,  within  a  week  after  she  had  landed. 

Ghita,  it  was  known,  had  travelled,  for  she  had  publicly 
reached  Elba  in  a  felucca,  coming,  as  was  said,  from  the 
Neapolitan  states.  If  this  were  true,  she  was  probably  the 
only  person  of  her  sex  in  the  town,  who  had  ever  seen  Vesu 
vius,  or  planted  her  eyes  on  the  wonders  of  a  part  of  Italy 
that  has  a  reputation  second  only  to  that  of  Rome.  Of  course, 
if  any  girl  in  Porto  Ferrajo  could  imagine  the  character  of 
the  stranger,  it  must  be  Ghita ;  and  it  was  on  this  supposi 
tion  that  she  had  unwittingly,  and,  if  the  truth  must  be  owned, 
unwillingly,  collected  around  her  a  clientelle  of  at  least  a 
dozen  girls  of  her  own  age,  and  apparently  of  her  own  class. 
The  laUer,  however,  felt  no  necessity  for  the  reserve  main 
tained  by  the-  curious  who  pressed  near  'Maso ;  for,  while 
they  respected  their  guest  and  friend,  and  would  rather  listen 
to  her  surmises  than  those  of  any  other  person,  they  had 
such  a  prompting  desire  to  hear  their  own  voices,  that  not  a 
minute  escaped  without  a  question,  or  a  conjecture,  both 
volubly  and  quite  audibly  expressed.  The  interjections,  too, 
were  somewhat  numerous,  as  the  guesses  were  crude  and 
.  absurd.  One  said  it  was  a  vessel  with  despatches  from 
Livorno,  possibly  with  "  His  Eccellenza"  on  board ;  but  she 
was  reminded  that  Leghorn  lay  to  the  north,  and  not  to 
the  west.  Another  thought  it  was  a  cargo  of  priests,  going 
from  Corsica  to  Rome ;  but  she  was  told  that  priests  were 
not  in  sufficient  favour,  just  then,  in  France,  to  get  a  vessel 
so  obviously  superior  to  the  ordinary  craft  of  the  Mediterra 
nean,  to  carry  them  about.  While  a  third,  more  imagina 
tive  than  either,  ventured  to  doubt  whether  it  was  a  vessel 
at  all  ;  deceptive  appearances  of  this  sort  not  being  of  rare 
occurrence,  and  usually  taking  the  aspect  of  something  out 
of  the  ordinary  way. 

"  Si"  said  Annma,  "  but  that  would  be  a  miracle,  Maria; 
2 


14"  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

and  why  should  we  have  a  miracle,  now  that  Lent  and  most 
of  the  holidays  are  past  1  /  believe  it  is  a  real  vessel." 

The  others  laughed,  and,  after  a  good  deal  of  eager  chat- 
tering  on  the  subject,  it  was  quite  generally  admitted  that 
the  stranger  was  a  bona  Jide  craft,  of  some  species  or  an 
other,  though  all  agreed  she  was  not  a  felucca,  a  bombarda, 
or  a  sparanara.  All  this  time  Ghita  was  thoughtful  and 
silent ;  quite  as  much  so,  indeed,  as  Tommaso  himself, though 
from  a  very  different  motive.  Notwithstanding  all  the  gossip, 
and  the  many  ludicrous  opinions  of  her  companions,  her 
eyes  scarcely  turned  an  instant  from  the  lugger,  on  which 
they  seemed  to  be  riveted  by  a  sort  of  fascination.  Had 
there  been  one,  there,  sufficiently  unoccupied  to  observe  this 
interesting  girl,  he  might  have  been  struck  with  the  varying 
expression  of  a  countenance  that  was  teeming  with  sensibility, 
and  which  too  often  reflected  the  passing  emotions  of  its 
mistress's  mind.  Now  an  expression  of  anxiety,. and  even 
of  alarm,  would  have  been  detected  by  such  an  observer,  if 
acute  enough  to  separate  these  emotions,  in  the  liveliness  of 
sentiment,  from  the  more  vulgar  feelings  of  her  companions  ; 
and  now,  something  like  gleamings  of  delight  and  happiness 
flashed  across  her  eloquent  countenance.  The  colour  came 
and  went,  often  ;  and  there  was  an  instant,  during  which  the 
lugger  varied  her  course,  hauling  to  the  wind,  and  then  fall- 
ing°off  again,  like  a  dolphin  at  its  sports,  when  the  radiance 
of  the  pleasure  that  glowed  about  her  soft  blue  eyes,  rendered 
the  girl  perfectly  beautiful.  But  none  of  these  passing 
expressions  were  noted  by  the  garrulous  group  around  the 
stranger  female,  who  was  left  very  much  to  the  indulgence 
of  the  impulses  that  gave  them  birth,  unquestioned,  and 
altogether  unsuspected. 

Although  the  cluster  of  girls  had,  with  feminine  sensitive- 
ness,  gathered  a  little  apart  from  the  general  crowd,  there 
were  but  a  few  yards  between  the  spot  where  it  stood,  and 
that  occupied  by  'Maso ;  so  that  when  the  latter  spoke,  an 
attentive  listener  among  the  former  might  hear  his  words. 
This  was  an  office  that  Tonti  did  not  choose  to  undertake, 
however,  until  he  was  questioned  by  the  podesta,  Vito  Viti, 
who  now  appeared  on  the  hill  in  person,  puffing  like  a  whale 
that  rises  to  breathe,  from  the  vigour  of  his  ascent. 

"What  dost  thou  make  of  her,  good  'Maso?"  demanded 


LE     FEU-POLLBT.  15 

the  magistrate,  after  he  had  examined  the  stranger  himself 
some  time  in  silence,  feeling  authorized,  in  virtue  of  his 
office,  to  question  whom  he  pleased. 

"  Signore,  it  is  a  lugger ;"  was  the  brief,  and,  certainly,  the 
accurate  reply. 

"  Ay,  a  lugger ;  we  all  understand  that,  neighbour  Tonti ; 
but  what  sort  of  a  lugger  1  There  are  felucca-luggers,  and 
polacre-luggers,  and  bombarda-luggers,  and  all  sorts  of  lug 
gers  ;  which  sort  of  lugger  is  this  ?" 

"  Signor  Podesta,  this  is  not  the  language  of  the  port. 
We  call  a  felucca,  a  felucca ;  a  bombarda,  a  bombarda ;  a 
polacre,  a  polacre ;  and  a  lugger,  a  lugger.  This  is,  there- 
fore,  a  lugger."" 

'Maso  spoke  authoritatively,  for  he  felt  that  he  was  now 
not  out  of  his  depth,  and  it  was  grateful  to  him  to  let  the 
public  know  how  much  better  he  understood  all  these  mat 
ters  than  a  magistrate.  On  the  other  hand,  the  podesta  was 
nettled,  and  disappointed  into  the  bargain,  for  he  really 
imagined  he  was  drawing  nice  distinctions,  much  as  it  was 
his  wont  to  do  in  legal  proceedings ;  and  it  was  his  ambition 
to  be  thought  to  know  something  of  every  thing. 

"  Well,  Tonti,"  answered  Signor  Viti,  in  a  protecting 
manner,  and  with  an  affable  smile,  "  as  this  is  not  an  affair 
that  is  likely  to  go  to  the  higher  courts  at  Florence,  your 
explanations  may  be  taken  as  sufficient,  and  I  have  no  wish 
to  disturb  them — a  lugger,  is  a  lugger." 

"  Si,  Signore ;  that  is  just  what  we  say  in  the  port.  A 
lugger,  is  a  lugger." 

"  And  yonder  strange  craft,  you  maintain,  and  at  need 
are  ready  to  swear,  is  a  lugger  ?" 

Now  'Maso  seeing  no  necessity  for  any  oath  in  the  affair, 
and  being  always  somewhat  conscientious  in  such  matters, 
whenever  the  custom-house  officers  did  not  hold  the  book, 
was  a  little  startled  at  this  suggestion,  and  he  took  another, 
and  a  long  look  at  the  stranger,  before  he  answered. 

"  Si,  Signore,"  he  replied,  after  satisfying  his  mind  once 
more,  through  his  eyes,  "  I  will  swear  that  the  stranger, 
yonder,  is  a  lugger." 

"  And  canst  thou  add,  honest  Tonti,  of  what  nation  ?  The 
nation  is  of  as  much  moment,  in  these  troubled  times,  as  the 


10  LE     FEU-FOLLET, 

"  You  say  truly,  Signer  Podesta ;  for  if  an  Algerine,  or  a 
Moor,  or  even  a  Frenchman,  he  will  be  an  unwelcome  visiter 
in  the  Canal  of  Elba.  There  are  many  different  signs  about 
him,  that  sometimes  make  me  think  he  belongs  to  one  people, 
and  then  to  another ;  and  I  crave  your  pardon,  if  I  ask  a 
little  leisure,  to  let  him  draw  nearer,  before  I  give  a  positive 
opinion." 

As  this  request  was  reasonable,  no  objection  was  raised. 
The  podesta  turned  aside,  and  observing  Ghita,  who  had 
visited  his  niece,  and  of  whose  intelligence  he  entertained 
a  favourable  opinion,  he  drew  nearer  to  the  girl,  determined 
to  lose  a  moment  in  dignified  trifling. 

"  Honest  'Maso,  poor  fellow,  is  sadly  puzzled,"  he  ob 
served,  smiling  benevolently,  as  if  in  pity  for  the  pilot's  embar 
rassment  ;  "  he  wishes  to  persuade  us  that  the  strange  craft 
yonder  is  a  lugger,  though  he  cannot,  himself,  say  to  what 
country  she  belongs !" 

"  It  is  a  lugger,  Signore,"  returned  the  girl,  drawing  a  long 
breath,  as  if  relieved  by  hearing  the  sound  of  her  own  voice. 

"  How !  dost  thou  pretend  to  be  so  skilled  in  vessels,  as 
to  distinguisn  hese  particulars  at  the  distance  of  a  league  ?" 

"  I  do  not  think  it  a  league,  Signore — not  more  than  half 
a  league;  and-  the  distance  lessens  fast,  though  the  wind  is 
so  light.  As  for  knowing  a  lugger  from  a  felucca,  it  is  as 
easy  as  to  know  a  house  from  a  church ;  or  one  of  the 
reverend  padri,  in  the  streets,  from  a  mariner." 

"  Ay,  so  I  would  have  told  'Maso  on  the  spot,  had  the 
obstinate  old  fellow  been  inclined  to  hear  me.  The  dis 
tance  is  just  about  what  you  say ;  and  nothing  is  easier  than 
to  see  that  the  stranger  is  a  lugger.  As  to  the  nation  ? — " 

"  That  may  not  be  so  easily  told,  Signore,  unless  the  ves 
sel  show  us  her  flag." 

"  By  San  Antonio !  thou  art  right,  child ;  and  it  is  fitting 
she  should  show  us  her  flag.'  Nothing  has  a  right  to  ap 
proach  so  near  the  port  of  his  Imperial  and  Royal  Highness, 
that  does  not  show  its  flag,  thereby  declaring  its  honest 
purpose,  and  its  nation.  My  friends,  are  the  guns  in  the 
battery  loaded,  as  usual  ?" 

The  answer  being  in  the  affirmative,  there  was  a  hurried 
consultation  among  some  of  the  principal  men  in  the  crowd, 
and  then  the  podesta  walked  towards  the  government- house 


LEPEU-FOLLET  17 

with  an  important  air.  In  five  minutes  soldiers  were  seen 
in  the  batteries,  and  preparations  were  made  for  levelling  an 
eighteen-pounder  in  the  direction  of  the  stranger.  Most  of 
the  females  turned  aside,  and  stopped  their  ears,  the  battery 
being  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  spot  where  they  stood  ; 
but  Ghita,  with  a  face  that  was  pale,  certainly,  though  with 
an  eye  that  was  steady,  and  without  the  least  indications  of 
fear,  as  respected  herself,  intensely  watched  every  move 
ment.  When  it  was  evident  the  artillerists  were  about  to 
fire,  anxiety  induced  her  to  break  silence. 

"  They  surely  will  not  aim  at  the  lugger !"  she  exclaimed. 
"  That  cannot  be  necessary,  Signor  Podesta,  to  make  the 
stranger  hoist  his  flag.  Never  have  I  seen  that  done  in  the 
south." 

"  You  are  unacquainted  with  our  Tuscan  bombardiers, 
Signorina,"  answered  the  magistrate,  with  a  bland  smile, 
and  an  exulting  gesture.  "  It  is  well  for  Europe  that  the 
grand  duchy  is  so  small,  since  such  troops  might  prove  even 
more  troublesome  than  the  French !" 

Ghita,  however,  paid  no  attention  to  this  touch  of  provin 
cial  pride,  but  pressing  her  hands  on  her  heart,  she  stood 
like  a  statue  of  suspense,  while  the  men  in  the  battery  exe 
cuted  their  duty.  In  a  minute  the  match  was  applied,  and 
the  gun  was  discharged.  Though  all  her  companions 
uttered  invocations  to  the  saints,  and  other  exclamations,  and 
some  even  crouched  to  the  earth  in  terror,  Ghita,  the  most 
delicate  of  any,  in  appearance,  and  with  more  real  sensibility 
than  all  united  expressed  in  her  face,  stood  firm  and  erect. 
The  flash  and  the  explosion  evidently  had  no  effect  on  her  ; 
not  an  artillerist  among  them  was  less  unmoved  in  frame,  at 
the  report,  than  this  slight  girl.  She  even  imitated  the 
manner  of  the  soldiers,  by  turning  to  watch  the  flight  of  the 
shot,  though  she  clasped  her  hands  as  she  did  so,  and  ap 
peared  to  await  the  result  with  trembling.  The  few  seconds 
of  suspense  were  soon  past,  when  the  ball  was  seen  to  strike 
the  water  fully  a  quarter  of  a  mile  astern  of  the  lugger,  and 
to  skip  along  the  placid  sea  for  twice  that  distance  further, 
when  it  sunk  to  the  bottom  by  its  own  gravity. 

"  Santa  Maria  be  praised  !"  murmured  the  girl,  a  smile 
half  pleasure,  half  irony,  lighting  her  face,  as  unconsciously 
2* 


18  LE    FEU  -FOLLET. 

to  herself  she  spoke,  "  these  Tuscan  artillerists  are  no  fata) 
marksmen !" 

u  That  was  most  dexterously  done,  bella  Ghita  !"  ex 
claimed  the  magistrate,  removing  his  two  hands  from  his 
ears ;  "  that  was  amazingly  well  aimed  !  Another  such 
shot  as  far  ahead,  with  a  third  fairly  between  the  two,  and 
the  stranger  will  learn  to  respect  the  rights  of  Tuscany. 
What  say'st  thou  now,  honest  'Maso  —  will  this  lugger  tel. 
us  her  country,  or  will  she  further  brave  our  power  ?" 

"  If  wise,  she  will  hoist  her  ensign  ;  and  yet  I  see  no  signs 
of  preparation  for  such  an  act." 

Sure  enough,  the  stranger,  though  quite  within  effective 
range  of  shot  from  the  heights,  showed  no  disposition  to 
gratify  the  curiosity,  or  to  appease  the  apprehensions  of 
those  in  the  town.  Two  or  three  of  her  people  were  visible 
in  her  rigging,  but  even  these  did  not  hasten  their  work,  or 
in  any  manner  seem  deranged  at  the  salutation  they  had 
just  received.  After  a  few  minutes,  however,  the  lugger 
jibed  her  mainsail,  and  then  hauled  up  a  little,  so  as  to  look 
more  towards  the  head-land,  as  if  disposed  to  steer  for  the 
bay,  by  doubling  the  promontory.  This  movement  caused 
the  artillerists  to  suspend  their  own,  and  the  lugger  had  fairly 
come  within  a  mile  of  the  cliffs,  ere  she  lazily  turned  aside 
again,  and  shaped  her  course  once  more  in  the  direction  of 
the  entrance  of  the  Canal.  This  drew  another  shot,  which 
effectually  justified  the  magistrate's  eulogy,  for  it  certainly 
flew  as  much  ahead  of  the  stranger,  as  the  first  had  flown 
astern. 

"  There,  Signore,"  cried  Ghita  eagerly,  as  she  turned  to 
the  magistrate,  "  they  are  about  to  hoist  their  ensign,  for 
now  they  know  your  wishes.  The  soldiers  surely  will  not 
fire  again !" 

"  That  would  be  in  the  teeth  of  the  law  of  nations,  Signo- 
rina,  and  a  blot  on  Tuscan  civilization.  Ah  !  you  perceive 
the  artillerists  are  aware  of  what  you  say,  and  are  putting 
aside  their  tools.  Cospetto  !  'tis  a  thousand  pities,  too,  they 
couldn't  fire  the  third  shot,  that  you  might  see  it  strike  the 
lugger ;  as  yet,  you  have  only  beheld  their  preparations." 

"  It  is  enough,  Signor  Podesta,"  returned  Ghita,  smiling, 
for  she  could  smile  now  that  she  saw  the  soldiers  intended 
no  further  mischief; "  we  have  all  heard  of  your  Elba  gunners, 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  19 

and  what  I  have  seen  convinces  me  of  what  they  can  do, 
when  there  is  occasion.  Look,  Signore !  the  lugger  is  about 
fo  satisfy  our  curiosity." 

Sure  enough,  the  stranger  saw  fit  to  comply  with  the 
usages  of  nations.  It  has  been  said,  already,  that  the  lug 
ger  was  coming  down  before  the  wind  wing-and-wing,  or 
with  a  sail  expanded  to  the  air  on  each  side  of  her  hull,  a 
disposition  of  the  canvass  that  gives  to  the  felucca,  and  to 
the  lugger  in  particular,  the  most  picturesque  of  all  their 
graceful  attitudes.  Unlike  the  narrow-headed  sails  that  a 
want  of  hands  has  introduced  among  ourselves,  these  foreign, 
we  might  almost  say  classical  mariners,  send  forth  their 
long  pointed  yards  aloft,  confining  the  width  below  by  the 
necessary  limits  of  the  sheet,  making  up  for  the  difference 
in  elevation,  by  the  greater  breadth  of  their  canvass.  The 
idea  of  the  felucca's  sails,  in  particular,  would  seem  to  have 
been  literally  taken  from  the  wing  of  the  large  sea-fowl,  the 
shape  so  nearly  corresponding,  that,  with  the  canvass  spread 
in  the  manner  just  mentioned,  one  of  those  light  craft  has  a 
very  close  resemblance  to  the  gull  or  the  hawk,  as  it  poises 
itself  in  the  air,  or  is  swooping  down  upon  its  prey.  The 
lugger  has  less  of  the  beauty  that  adorns  a  picture,  perhaps, 
than  the  strictly  latine  rig ;  but  it  approaches  so  near  it  as 
to  be  always  pleasing  to  the  eye,  and,  in  the  particular  evo 
lution  described,  is  scarcely  less  attractive.  To  the  seaman, 
however,  it  brings  with  it  an  air  of  greater  service,  being  a 
mode  of  carrying  canvass  that  will  buffet  with  the  heaviest 
gales,  or. the  roughest  seas,  while  it  appears  so  pleasant  to 
the  eye  in  the  blandest  airs,  and  smoothest  water. 

The  lugger  that  was  now  beneath  the  heights  of  Elba  had 
three  masts,  though  sails  were  spread  only  on  the  two  that 
were  forward.  The  third  mast  was  stepped  on  the  taffrail ; 
it  was  small,  and  carried  a  little  sail,  that,  in  English,  is 
termed  a  jigger,  its  principal  use  being  to  press  the  bows  of 
the  craft  up  to  the  wind,  when  close  hauled,  and  render  her 
what  is  termed  weatherly.  On  the  present  occasion,  there 
could  scarcely  be  said  to  be  anything  deserving  the  name  of 
wind,  though  Ghita  felt  her  cheek,  which  was  warmed  with 
the  rich  blood  of  her  country,  fanned  by  an  air  so  gentle, 
that  occasionally  it  blew  aside  tresses,  that  seemed  to  vie 
vith  the  floss  silk  of  her  native  land.  Had  the  natural 


20  LE    FEU-POL LET. 

ringlets  been  less  light,  however,  so  gentle  a  respiration  of 
the  sea  air  could  scarcely  have  disturbed  them.  But  the 
lugger  had  her  lightest  duck  spread  —  reserving  the  heavier 
canvass  for  the  storms  —  and  it  opened  like  the  folds  of  a 
balloon,  even  before  these  gentle  impulses  ;  occasionally  col 
lapsing,  it  is  true,  as  the  ground-swell  swung  the  yards  to 
and  fro,  but,  on  the  whole,  standing  out  and  receiving  the 
air,  as  if  guided  more  by  volition  than  any  mechanical  power. 
The  effect  on  the  hull  was  almost  magical ;  for,  notwith 
standing  the  nearly  imperceptible  force  of  the  propelling 
power,  owing  to  the  lightness  and  exquisite  mould  of  the 
craft,  it  served  to  urge  her  through  the  water  at  the  rate  of 
some  three  or  four  knots  in  the  hour ;  or  quite  as  fast  as  an 
ordinarily  active  man  is  apt  to  walk.  Her  motion  was 
nearly  unobservable  to  all  on  board,  and  might  rather  be 
termed  gliding  than  sailing,  the  ripple  under  her  cut-water 
not  much  exceeding  that  which  is  made  by  the  finger,  as  it 
is  moved  swiftly  through  the  element ;  still  the  slightest 
variation  of  the  helm  changed  her  course,  and  this  so  easily 
and  gracefully,  as  to  render  her  deviations  and  inclinations 
like  those  of  the  duck.  In  her  present  situation,  too,  the 
jigger,  which  was  brailed,  and  hung  festooned  from  its  light 
yard,  ready  for  use,  should  occasion  suddenly  demand  it, 
added  singularly  to  the  smart  air  which  everything  wore 
about  this  craft,  giving  her,  in  the  seaman?s  eyes,  that  par 
ticularly  knowing  and  suspicious  look,  which  had  awakened 
'Maso's  distrust. 

The  preparations  to  show  the  ensign,  which  had'  caught 
the  quick  and  understanding  glance  of  Ghita,  and  which  had 
not  escaped  even  the  duller  vision  of  the  artillerists,  were 
made  at  the  outer  end  of  this  jigger-yard.  A  boy  had 
appeared  on  the  taffrail,  and  he  was  evidently  clearing  the 
ensign-halyards  for  that  purpose.  In  half  a  minute,  how 
ever,  he  disappeared,  and  then  a  flag  rose  steadily,  and  by 
a  continued  pull,  to  its  station.  At  first  the  bunting  hung 
suspended  in  a  line,  so  as  to  evade  all  examination  ;  but,  as 
if  everything  on  board  this  light  craft  were  on  a  scale  as 
airy  and  buoyant  as  herself,  the  folds  soon  expanded,  show 
ing  a  white  field,  traversed  at  right  angles  with  a  red  cross, 
and  having  a  union  of  the  same  tint  in  its  upper  and  inner 
corner. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  21 

"  Inglese  /"  exclaimed  'Maso,  infinitely  aided  in  this  con 
jecture  by  the  sight  of  the  stranger's  ensign  —  "  Si,  Signore ; 
it  is  an  Englishman ;  I  thought  so,  from  the  first,  but  as  the 
lugger  is  not  a  common  rig  for  vessels  of  that  nation,  I  did 
not  like  to  risk  anything,  by  saying  it." 

"  Well,  honest  Tommaso,  it  is  a  happiness  to  have  a  man 
ner  as  skilful  as  yourself,  in  these  troublesome  times,  at  one's 
elbow  !  I  do  not  know  how  else  we  should  ever  have  found 
out  the  stranger's  country.  An  Inglese!  Corpo  di  Bacco! 
Who  would  have  thought  that  a  nation  so  maritime,  and 
which  lies  so  far  off,  would  send  so  small  a  craft  this  vast 
distance  !  Why,  Ghita,  it  is  a  voyage  from  Elba  to  Livorno, 
and  yet,  I  dare  say,  England  is  twenty  times  farther." 

"  Signore,  I  know  little  of  England,  but  I  have  heard  that 
it  lies  beyond  our  own  sea.  This  is  the  flag  of  the  country, 
however ;  for  that  have  I  often  beheld.  Many  ships  of  that 
nation  come  upon  the  coast,  further  south." 

"  Yes,  it  is  a  great  country  for  mariners ;  though  they 
tell  me  it  has  neither  wine  nor  oil.  They  are  allies  of  the 
emperor,  too,  and  deadly  enemies  of  the  French,  who  have 
done  so  much  harm  in  upper  Italy.  That  is  something, 
Ghita,  and  every  Italian  should  honour  the  flag.  I  fear  this 
stranger  does  not  intend  to  enter  our  harbour !"  • 

"  He  steers  as  if  he  did  not,  certainly,  Signor  Podesta," 
said  Ghita,  sighing  so  gently  that  the  respiration  was  audible 
only  to  herself.  "  Perhaps  he  is  in  search  of  some  of  the 
French,  of  which  they  say  so  many  were  seen,  last  year, 
going  east." 

"Ay,  that  was  truly  an  enterprise  !"  answered  the  magis 
trate,  gesticulating  on  a  large  scale,  and  opening  his  eyes 
by  way  of  accompaniments.  "  General  Bonaparte,  he  who 
had  been  playing  the  devil  in  the  Milanese,  and  the  states 
of  the  Pope,  for  the  last  two  years,  sailed,  they  sent  us  word, 
with  two  or  three  hundred  ships,  the  saints,  at  first,  knew 
whither.  Some  said,  it  was  to  destroy  the  holy  sepulchre; 
some,  to  overturn  the  Grand  Turk;  and  some  thought,  to 
seize  the  islands.  There  was  a  craft  in  here,  the  same 
week,  which  said  he  had  got  possession  of  the  Island  of 
Malta  ;  in  which  case  we  might  look  out  for  trouble  in  Elba. 
'  had  my  suspicions,  from  the  first !" 


22  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

"  All  this  I  heard,  at  the  time,  Signore,  and  my  uncle  proba 
bly  could  tell  you  more — how  we  all  felt  at  the  tidings  !" 

"  Well,  that  is  all  over  now,  and  the  French  are  in  Egypt. 
Your  uncle,  Ghita,  has  gone  upon  the  main,  I  hear?"  this 
was  said  inquiringly,  and  it  was  intended  to  be  said  care 
lessly  ;  but  the  podesta  could  not  prevent  a  glance  of  suspicion 
from  accompanying  the  question. 

"  Signore,  I  believe  he  has  ;  but  I  know  little  of  his  affairs. 
The  time  has  come,  however,  when  I  ought  to  expect  him. 
See,  Eccellenza,"  a-  title  that  never  failed  to  mollify  the 
magistrate,  and  turn  his  attention  from  others  entirely  to 
himself,  "  the  lugger  really  appears  disposed  to  look  into 
your  bay,  if  not  actually  to  enter  it !" 

This  sufficed  to  change  the  discourse.  Nor  was  it  said 
altogether  without  reason ;  the  lugger,  which  by  this  time 
had  passed  the  western  promontory,  actually  appearing  dis 
posed  to  do  as  Ghita  conjectured.  She  had  jibed  her  main 
sail  —  brought  both  sheets  of  canvass  on  her  larboard  side, 
and  luffed  a  little,  so  as  to  cause  her  head  to  look  towards 
the  opposite  side  of  the  bay,  instead  of  standing  in,  as  before, 
in  the  direction  of  the  canal.  This  change  in  the  lugger's 
course  produced  a  general  movement  in  the  crowd,  which 
began  to  quit  the  heights,  hastening  to  descend  the  terraced 
streets,  in  order  to  reach  the  haven.  'Maso  and  the  podesta 
led  the  van,  in  this  descent ;  and  the  girls,  with  Ghita  in  their 
midst,  followed  with  equal  curiosity,  but  with  eager  steps. 
By  the  time  the  throng  was  assembled  on  the  quays,  in  the 
streets,  on  the  decks  of  feluccas,  or  at  other  points  that 
commanded  the  view,  the  stranger  was  seen  gliding  past,  in 
the  centre  of  the  wide  and  deep  bay,  with  his  jigger  hauled 
out,  and  his  sheets  aft,  looking  up  nearly  into  the  wind's  eye, 
if  that  could  be  called  wind,  which  was  still  little  more  than 
.the  sighing  of  the  classical  zephyr.  His  motion  was  neces 
sarily  slow,  but  it  continued  light,  easy,  and  graceful.  After 
passing  the  entrance  of  the  port  a  mile  or  more,  he  tacked 
and  looked  up  towards  the  haven.  By  this  time,  however, 
he  had  got  so  near  in  to  the  western  cliffs,  that  their  lee  de 
prived  him  of  all  air ;  and  after  keeping  his  canvass  open 
half  an  hour  in  the  little  roads,  it  was  all  suddenly  drawn  to 
tb*j  yards,  and  the  lugger  anchored. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET 


CHAPTER  II. 

"His  stock,  a  few  French  phrases,  got  by  heart, 
With  much  to   learn,  but  nothing  to  impart; 
The  youth  obedient  to  his  sire's  commands,  , 

Sets  off  a  wanderer  into  foreign  lands." 

COWPER. 

IT  was  now  nearly  dark,  and  the  crowd,  having  satisfied 
its  idle  curiosity,  began  slowly  to  disperse.  The  Signor 
Viti  remained  till  the  last,  conceiving  it  to  be  his  duty  to  be 
on  the  alert,  in  such  troubled  times  ;  but  with  all  his  bustling 
activity,  it  escaped  his  vigilance  and  means  of  observation 
to  detect  the  circumstance  that  the  stranger,  who,  while  he 
steered  into  the  bay  with  so  much  confidence,  had  contrived 
to  bring  up  at  a  point  where  not  a  single  gun  from  the  bat 
teries  could  be  brought  to  bear  on  him ;  while  his  own  shot, 
had  he  been  disposed  to  hostility,  would  have  completely 
raked  the  little  haven.  But  Vito\7iti,  though  so  enthusiastic 
an  admirer  of  the  art,  was  no  gunner  himself,  and  little 
liked  to  dwell  on  the  effect  of  shot,  except  as  it  applied  to 
others,  and  not  at  all  to  himself. 

Of  all  the  suspicious,  apprehensive  and  curious,  who  had 
been  collected  in  and  about  the  port,  since  it  was  known  the 
lugger  intended  to  come  into  the  bay,  Ghita  and  'Maso 
alone  remained  on  watch,  after  the  vessel  anchored.  A  loud 
hail  had  been  given  by  those  entrusted  with  the  execution 
of  the  quarantine  laws,  the  great  physical  bug-bear  and 
moral  mystification  of  the  Mediterranean ;  and  the  questions 
put  had  been  answered  in  a  way  to  satisfy  all  scruples  for 
the  moment.  The  "  From  whence  came  ye  7"  asked,  how 
ever,  in  an  Italian  idiom,  had  been  answered  by  "  Inghilterra, 
touching  at  Lisbon  and  Gibraltar,"  all  regions  beyond  dis 
trust,  as  to  the  plague,  and  all  happening,  at  that  moment, 
to  give  clean  bills  of  health.  But  the  name  of  the  craft,  her 
self,  had  been  given  in  a  way  to  puzzle  all  the  proficients  in 
Saxon  English  that  Porto  Ferrajo  could  produce.  It  had 
been  distinctly  enough  pronounced  by  some  one  on  board, 
and  at  the  request  of  the  quarantine  department,  had  beer. 


24  LBTEU-FOLLET. 

three  times  slowly  repeated,  very  much  after  the  following 
form  ;  viz.  — 

"  Come  chiamate  il  vostro  bastimento  ?" 

"  The  Wing-And-Wing." 

«  Come  r 

«  The  Wing-And-Wing." 

A  long  pause,  during  which  the  officials  put  their  heads 
together,  first  to  compare  the  sounds  of  each  with  those  of 
his  companions'  ears,  and  then  to  inquire  of  one  who  pro 
fessed  to  understand  English,  but  whose  knowledge  was  such 
as  is  generally  met  with  in  a  linguist  of  a  little-frequented 
port,  the  meaning  of  the  term. 

11  Ving-y-ving !"  growled  this  functionary,  not  a  little 
puzzled,  "  what  ze  devil  sort  of  name  is  zat !  Ask  zem 
again." 

"  Come  si  chiama  la  vostra  barca,  Signori  Inglesi  ?" 
repeated  he  who  hailed. 

"  Diable  /"  growled  one  back,  in  French,  "  she  is  called 
ze  Wing-And-Wing,  'Ala  e  Ala,'"  giving  a  very  literal 
translation  of  the  name,  in  Italian. 

"  Ala  e  ala  /"  repeated  they  of  the  quarantine,  first  look- 
ing  at  each  other  in  surprise,  and  then  laughing,  though  ill ' 
a  perplexed  and  doubtful  manner  ;  "  Ving-y-Ving  !" 

This  passed  just  as  the  lugger  anchored,  and  the  crowd 
had  be£,un  to  disperse.  It  caused  some  merriment,  and  it 
was  soon  spread  in  the  little  town  that  a  craft  had  just 
arrived  from  Inghilterra,  whose  name,  in  the  dialect  of  that 
island,  was  "  Ving-y-Ving ;"  which  meant  "  Ala  e  «Z«,"  in 
Italian ;  a  cognomen  that  struck  the  listeners  as  sufficiently 
absurd.  In  confirmation  of  the  fact,  however,  the  lugger 
hoisted  a  small  square  flag,  at  the  end  of  her  main-yard,  on 
wh'.ch  were  painted,  or  wrought,  two  large  wings,  as  they 
are  sometimes  delineated  in  heraldry,  with  the  beak  of  a 
gaLey  between  them  ;  giving  the  whole  conceit  something 
very  like  the  appearance  that  the  human  imagination  has 
assigned  to  those  heavenly  beings,  cherubs.  This  emblem 
seemed  to  satisfy  the  minds  of  the  observers,  who  were  too 
much  accustomed  to  the  images  of  art,  not  to  obtain  some 
tolerably  distinct  notions,  in  the  end,  of  what  "  Ala  e  ala" 
meant. 

But  'Maso,  as  has  been  said,  remained  after  the  rest  had 


L  E     F  E  U  -  F  O  L  L  E  T  »  '2,") 

departed  to  their  homes  and  their  suppers,  as  did  Chita. 
The  pilot,  for  such  was  Tonti's  usual  appellation,  in  conse 
quence  of  his  familiarity  with  the  coast,  and  his  being  prin 
cipally  employed  to  direct  the  navigation  of  the  different 
craft  in  which  he  served,  kept  his  station  on  board  a  felucca 
to  which  he  belonged,  watching  the  movements  of  the  lugger, 
while  the  girl  had  taken  her  stand  on  the  quay,  in  a  position 
that  better  became  her  sex,  since  it  removed  her  from  imme 
diate  contact  with  the  rough  spirits  of  the  port,  while  it  ena 
bled  her  to  see  what  occurred  about  the  Wing-And-Wing. 
More  than  half  an  hour  elapsed,  however,  before  there  were 
any  signs  of  an  intention  to  land ;  but,  by  the  time  it  was 
dark,  a  boat  was  ready,  and  it  was  seen  making  its  way  to 
the  common  stairs,  where  one  or  two  of  the  regular  officials 
were  ready  to  receive  it. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  on  the  forms  of  the  pratique 
officers.  These  troublesome  persons  had  their  lanterns,  and 
were  vigilant  in  examining  papers,  as  is  customary  ;  but  it 
would  seem,  the  mariner  in  the  boat  had  everything  en 
r£gle,  for  he  was  soon  suffered  to  land.  At  this  instant 
Ghita  passed  near  the  group,  and  took  a  close  and  keen  sur 
vey  of  the  stranger's  form  and  face,  her  own  person  being 
so  enveloped  in  a  mantle,  as  to  render  a  recognition  of  it 
difficult,  if  not  impossible.  The  girl  seemed  satisfied  with 
this  scrutiny,  for  she  immediately  disappeared.  Not  so  with 
'Maso,  who  by  this  time  had  hurried  round  from  the  felucca, 
and  was  at  the  stairs  in  season  to  say  a  word  to  the  stranger. 

"  Signore,"  said  the  pilot,  "  his  Eccellenza,  the  podesta, 
has  bidden  me  say  to  you,  that  he  expects  the  honour  of  your 
company,  at  his  house,  which  stands  so  near  us,  hard  by 
here,  in  the  principal  street,  as  will  make  it  only  a  pleasure 
to  go  there ;  I  know  he  wuuld  be  disappointed,  if  he  failed 
of  the  happiness  of  seeing  you." 

"  His  Ecceilenza  is  a  man  not  to  be  disappointed,"  re 
turned  the  stranger,  in  very  good  Italian,  "  and  five  minutes 
shall  prove  to  him  how  eager  I  am  to  salute  him  ;"  then 
turning  to  the  crew  of  his  boat,  he  ordered  them  to  return  on 
board  the  lugger,  and  not  to  fail  to  look  out  for  the  signal  by 
which  he  might  call  them  ashore. 

'Maso,  as  he  led  the  way  to  the  dwelling  of  Vito  Viti, 
3 


26  LFFEU-FOLLET. 

would  fain  ask  a  few  questions,  in  the  hope  of  appeasing 
certain  doubts  that  beset  him. 

"  Since  when,  Signor  Capitano,"  he  inquired,  "  have  you 
English  taken  to  sailing  luggers  ?  It  is  a  novel  rig  for  one 
of  your  craft." 

"  Corpo  di  Bacco  !"  answered  the  other,  laughing,  "friend 
of  mine,  if  you  can  tell  the  precise  day  when  brandy  and  laces 
were  first  smuggled  from  France  into  my  country  I  will 
answer  your  question.  I  think  you  have  never  navigated 
as  far  north  as  the  Bay  of  Biscay  and  our  English  Channel, 
or  you  would  know  that  a  Guernsey-man  is  better  acquainted 
with  the  rig  of  a  lugger,  than  with  that  of  a  ship." 

"  Guernsey  is  a  country  I  never  heard  of,"  answered 
'Maso,  simply  ;  "  is  it  like  Holland — or  more  like  Lisbon  ?" 

"  Very  little  of  either.  Guernsey  is  a  country  that  was 
once  French,  and  where  many  of  the  people  still  speak  the 
French  language,  but  of  which  the  English  have  been  mas 
ters  this  many  an  age.  It  is  an  island  subject  to  King 
George,  but  which  is  still  half  Gallic  in  names  and  usages. 
This  is  the  reason  why  we  like  the  lugger  better  than  the 
cutter,  which  is  a  more  English  rig.5' 

'Maso  was  silent,  for,  if  true,  the  answer  at  once  removed 
many  misgivings.  He  had  seen  so  much  about  the  strange 
craft  which  struck  him  as  French,  that  doubts  of  her  charac 
ter  had  obtruded ;  but,  if  her  captain's  account  could  only 
be  substantiated,  there  was  an  end  of  distrust.  What  could 
be  more  natural  than  the  circumstance  that  a  vessel  fitted 
out  in  an  island  of  French  origin,  should  betray  some  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  people  who  built  her? 

The  podesta  was  at  home,  in  expectation  of  this  visit,  and 
'Maso  was  first  admitted  to  a  private  conference,  leaving  the 
stranger  in  an  outer  room.  During  this  brief  conference, 
the  pilot  communicated  all  he  had  to  say  —  both  his  suspi 
cions  and  the  seeming  solution  of  the  difficulties  ;  and  then 
he  took  his  leave,  after  receiving  the  boon  of  a  paul.  Vito 
Viti  now  joined  his  guest,  but  it  was  so  dark,  lights  not 
having  yet  been  introduced,  that  neither  could  distinguish 
the  other's  countenance. 

"  Signer  Capitano,"  observed  the  magistrate,  "  the  deputy- 
governor  is  at  his  residence,  on  the  hill,  a  id  he  will  expect 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  21 

me  to  do  him  the  favour  to  bring  you  thither,  that  he  may 
do  you  the  honours  of  the  port." 

This  was  said  so  civilly,  and  was,  in  itself,  both  so  reason 
able  and  so  much  in  conformity  with  usage,  that  the  other 
had  not  a  word  to  say  against  it.  Together,  then,  they  left 
the  house,  and  proceeded  towards  the  government-dwelling 
— a  building  which  has  since  become  celebrated  as  having 
been  the  residence  of  a  soldier  who  came  so  near  subjugating 
Europe.  Vito  Viti  was  a  short,  pursy  man,  and  he  took  his 
time  to  ascend  the  stairs-resembling  street ;  but  his  com 
panion  stepped  from  terrace  to  terrace  with  an  ease  and 
activity  that,  of  themselves,  would  have  declared  him  to  be 
young,  had  not  this  been  made  apparent  by  his  general 
bearing  and  his  mien,  as  seen  through  the  obscurity. 

Andrea  Barrofaldi,  the  vice-governatore,  was  a  very  dif 
ferent  sort  of  person  from  his  friend  the  podesta.  Although 
little  more  acquainted  with  the  world,  by  practice,  the  vice- 
governatore  was  deeply  read  in  books  ;  owing  his  situation, 
in  short,  to  the  circumstance  of  his  having  written  several 
clever  works,  of  no  great  reputation,  certainly,  for  genius, 
but  which  were  useful  in  their  way,  and  manifested  scholar 
ship.  It  is  very  seldom  that  a  man  of  mere  letters  is  quali 
fied  for  public  life ;  and  yet  there  is  an  affectation,  in  all 
governments,  most  especially  in  those  which  care  so  little 
for  literature  in  general,  as  to  render  some  professions  of 
respect  for  it  necessary  to  their  own  characters,  of  protecting 
it ;  and  thus  it  is,  that  among  ourselves,  where  the  laws  are  so 
indifferent  to  the  rights  and  interests  of  men  of  this  class  as 
to  subject  them  to  costs  and  penalties,  in  the  prosecution  of 
their  ordinary  labours,  that  no  other  Christian  nation  dreams 
of  exacting,  we  hear  high-sounding  pretensions  to  this  spe 
cies  of  liberality,  although  the  system  of  rewards  and  punish 
ments*  that  prevails,  usually  requires  that  its  beneficiary 

*  So  much  is  said  in  the  journals  of  this  country  concerning1  the 
patronage  the  public  beStows  on  letters,  a  patronage  which  is  very  much 
confined  to  buying  such  works  as  the  reader  wants,  and  not  purchasing1 
those  for  which  lie  feels  no  occasion,  that  it  forcibly  reminds  one  of  the 
story  of  the  Creole  woman,  who  was  descanting  on  the  subject  of  ruling- 
negroes,  among  some  friends.  "  If  you  will  gouverne  negres,"  she 
«aid,  "  you  moost  have  systeme.  I  have  systeme.  Mon  systeme  &  moi, 
is  systemc  of  reward  and  poonishwen*."  Then  she  turns  to  her  ne, 
groes,  und  addresses  them,  dftiiring  her  friends  to  note  the  effect. 


28  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

should  first  rat,  in  order  to  prove  his  adaptation  to  the  duty. 
Andrea  Barrofaldi,  however,  had  thrown  no  political  summer 
set,  and  had  consequently  been  inducted  into  his  present 
office  without  even  the  sentimental  profession  of  never  having 
asked  for  it.  The  situation  had  been  given  to  him  by  the 
Fossombrone  of  his  day,  without  a  word  having  been  said 
in  the  journals  of  Tuscany  of  his  doubts  about  accepting  it, 
and  everything  passed,  as  things  are  apt  to  pass  when  there 
are  true  simplicity  and  good  faith  at  the  bottom,  without 
pretension  or  comment.  He  had  now  been  ten  years  in 
office,  and  had  got  to  be  exceedingly  expert  in  discharg 
ing  all  the  ordinary  functions  of  his  post,  which  he  cer 
tainly  did  with  zeal  and  fidelity.  Still,  he  did  not  desert 
his  beloved  books,  and,  quite  apropos  of  the  matter  about  to 
come  before  him,  the  Signer  Barrofaldi  had  just  finished  a 
severe,  profound,  and  extensive  course  of  study  in  geo 
graphy. 

The  stranger  was  left  in  the  ante-chamber,  while  Vito 
Viti  entered  an  inner  room,  and  had  a  short  communication 
with  his  friend,  the  vice-governatore.  As  soon  as  this  was 
ended,  the  former  returned,  and  ushered  his  companion  into* 
the  presence  of  the  substitute  for  a  grand  duke,  if  not  for  a 
king.  As  this  was  the  sailor's  first  appearance  within  the 
influence  of  a  light  sufficiently  strong  to  enable  the  podesta 
to  examine  his  person,  both  he  and  Andrea  Barrofaldi  turned 
their  eyes  on  him  with  lively  curiosity,  the  instant  the  rays 
of  a  strong  lamp  enabled  them  to  scrutinize  his  appearance. 
Neither  was  disappointed,  in  one  sense,  at  least ;  the  counte 
nance,  figure,  and  mien  of  the  mariner  much  more  than 
equalling  his  expectations. 

The  stranger  was  a  man  of  six-and-twenty,  who  stood  five 
feet  ten  in  his  stockings,  and  whose  frame  was  the  very 
figure  of  activity,  united  to  a  muscle  that  gave  very  fair 
indications  of  strength.  He  was  attired  in  an  undress  nava) 
uniform,  which  he  wore  with  a  smart  air,  that  one  who 
understood  these  matters,  more  by  means  of  experience,  and 

"  Mes  amis"  she  begins,  "  zo-morrow  ze  cane  will  be  roipe,  and  you 
moost  tnoosh  vork.  You  know  me — you  know  mon  systeme —  it  is 
sysleme  of  reward  and  poonishment.  If  you  shall  not  vork,  you  shall 
be  flog;  zat  is  poonishment;  mais  if  you  shall  very  nioosh  —  f^J 
moosh  vork  ;  you  shall  no  be  flog  —  zat*s  ze  reward  .'" 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  29 

less  by  means  of  books,  than  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  would  at 
once  have  detected  did  not  belong  to  the  manly  simplicity  of 
the  English  wardrobe.  Nor  were  his  features,  in  the  slight 
est  degree,  those  of  one  of  the  islanders,  the  outline  being 
beautifully  classical,  more  especially  about  the  mouth  and 
chin,  while  the  cheeks  were  colourless,  and  the  skin  swarthy. 
His  eye,  too,  was  black  as  jet,  and  his  cheek  was  half  covered 
in  whiskers  of  a  hue  dark  as  the  raven's  wing.  His  face, 
as  a  whole,  was  singularly  beautiful  —  for  handsome  is  a 
word  not  strong  enough  to  express  all  the  character  that 
was  conveyed  by  a  conformation  that  might  be  supposed  to 
have  been  copied  from  some  antique  medal,  more  especially 
when  illuminated  by  a  smile  that,  at  times,  rendered  the 
whole  countenance  almost  as  bewitching  as  that  of  a  lovely 
woman.  There  was  nothing  effeminate  in  the  appear 
ance  of  the  young  stranger,  notwithstanding ;  his  manly, 
though  sweet  voice,  well-knit  frame,  and  firm  look,  afford 
ing  every  pledge  of  resolution  and  spirit. 

Both  the  vice-governatore  and  the  podesta  were  struck 
with  the  unusual  personal  advantages  and  smart  {jir  of  the 
stranger,  and  each  stood  looking  at  him  half-a-minute  in 
silence,  after  the  usual  salutations  had  passed,  and  before  the 
party  was  seated.  Then,  as  the  three  took  chairs,  on  a 
motion  from  Signer  Barrofaldi,  Ijie  latter  opened  the  dis 
course. 

"  They  tell  me  that  we  have  the  honour  to  receive  into 
our  little  haven  a  vessel  of  Inghilterra,  Signor  Capitano," 
observed  the  vice-governatore,  earnestly  regarding  the  other 
through  his  spectacles  as  he  spoke,  and  that,  too,  in  a  man 
ner  not  altogether  free  from  distrust. 

"  Signor  Vice-governatore,  such  is  the  flag  under  which  I 
have  the  honour  to  serve ;"  returned  the  mariner. 

"  You  are  an  Inglese,  yourself,  I  trust,  Signor  Capitano — 
what  name  shall  I  enter  in  my  book,  here?" 

"  Jaques  Smeet,"  answered  the  other,  betraying  what 
might  have  proved  two  very  fatal  Shibboleths,  in  the  ears 
of  those  who  were  practised  in  the  finesse  of  our  very  un 
musical  language,  by  attempting  to  say  "  Jack  Smith." 

"  Jaques  Smeet !"  repeated  the  vice-governatore  —  "  that 
is,  Giacomo,  in  our  Italian  — " 

"  No— no— Signore,"  hastily  interrupted  Captain  Smeet, 
3* 


30  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

"  not  Jaqueomo,  but  Jaques  —  Giovanni,  turned  into  Jaquea 
by  the  aid  of  a  little  salt  water." 

«  Ah  !  —  I  begin  to  understand  you,  Signore  ;  you  Eng 
lish  have  this  usage  in  your  language,  though  you  have 
softened  the  word  a  little,  in  mercy  to  our  ears.  But  we 
Italians  are  not  afraid  of  such  sounds  ;  and  I  know  the  name. 
— '  Giac  Smeet'  —  II  Capitano  Giac  Smeet — I  have  long 
suspected  my  English  master  of  ignorance,  for  he  was 
merely  one  of  our  Leghorn  pilots,  who  has  sailed  in  a  bas- 
timento  de  guerra  of  your  country  —  he  called  your  honour 
able  name  'Smees,'  Signore." 

"  He  was  very  wrong,  Signer  Vice-governatore,"  an 
swered  the  other,  clearing  his  throat  by  a  slight  effort;  "  we 
always  call  our  family  '  Smeet.'  " 

"  And  the  name  of  your  lugger,  Signor  Capitano  Smeet  1" 
suspending  his  pen  over  the  paper  in  expectation  of  the 
answer. 

"  Ze  Ving-And-Ving ;"  pronouncing  the  itfs  in  a  very 
different  way  from  what  they  had  been  sounded  in  answer 
ing  the  hails. 

"  Ze  "Ving-y-Ving,"  repeated  Signor  Barrofaldi,  writing 
the  name  in  a  manner  to  show  it  was  not  the  first  time  ho* 
had  heard  it ;  "  ze  Ving-y-Ving  ;  that  is  a  poetical  appella 
tion,  Signor  Capitano  ;  may  I  presume  to  ask  what  it  sig 
nifies?" 

"  Ala  e  ala,  in  your  Italian,  Mister  Vice-governatore. 
When  a  craft  like  mine  has  a  sail  spread  on  each  side,  re 
sembling  a  bird,  we  say,  in  English,  that  she  marches  '  Ving- 
and-Ving.'  " 

Andrea  Barrofaldi  mused,  in  silence,  near  a  minute. 
During  this  interval,  he  was  thinking  of  the  improbability 
of  any  but  a  bona  fide  Englishman's  dreaming  of  giving  a 
vessel  an  appellation  so  thoroughly  idiomatic,  and  was  fast 
mystifying  himself,  as  so  often  happens  by  tyros  in  any 
particular  branch  of  knowledge,  by  his  own  critical  acumen. 
Then  he  half  whispered  a  conjecture  on  the  subject  to  Vito 
Viti,  influenced  quite  as  much  by  a  desire  to  show  his  neigh 
bour  his  own  readiness  in  such  matters,  as  by  any  other 
feeling.  The  podesta  was  less  struck  by  the  distinction  than 
his  superior ;  but,  as  became  one  of  his  limited  means,  he 
did  not  venture  an  objection. 


LE     FEU- FOLLET  .  31 

"  Signer  Capitano,"  resumed  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  "  since 
when  have  you  English  adopted  the  rig  of  the  lugger  1  it 
•is  an  unusual  craft  for  so  great  a  naval  nation,  they  tell  me." 

"  Bah !  I  see  how  it  is,  Signor  Vice-governatore  —  you 
suspect  me  of  being  a  Frenchman,  or  a  Spaniard,  or  some 
thing  else  than  I  claim  to  be..  On  this  head,  however,  you 
may  set  your  heart  at  rest,  and  put  full  faith  in  what  I  tell 
you.  My  name  is  Capitaine  Jaques  Smeet ;  my  vessel  is 
ze  Ving-and-Ving ;  and  my  service  that  of  the  king  of  Eng 
land." 

"  Is  your  craft,  then,  a  king's  vessel ;  or  does  she  sail 
with  the  commission  of  a  corsair  ?" 

"  Do  I  look  like  a  corsair,  Signor  ?"  demanded  le  Capi 
taine  Smeet,  with  an  offended  air ;  "  I  have  reason  to  feel 
myself  injured  by  so  unworthy  an  imputation!" 

"Your  pardon,  Signor  Capitano  Smees — but  our  duty 
is  a  very  delicate  one,  on  this  unprotected  island,  in  times  as 
troubled  as  these  in  which  we  live.  It  has  been  stated  to 
me,  as  coming  from  the  most  experienced  pilot  of  our  haven, 
that  your  lugger  has  not  altogether  the  appearance  of  a 
vessel  of  the  Inglese,  while  she  has  many  that  belong  to  the 
corsairs  of  France  ;  and  a  prudent  caution  imposes  on  me 
the  office  of  making  certain  of  your  nation.  Once  assured 
of  that,  it  will  be  the  delight  of  the  Elbans  to  prove  how 
much  we  honour  and  esteem  our  illustrious  allies." 

"  This  is  so  reasonable,  and  so  much  according  to  what  I 
do  myself,  when  I  meet  a  stranger  at  sea,"  cried  the  captain, 
stretching  forth  both  arms  in  a  frank  and  inviting  manner, 
"  that  none  but  a  knave  would  object  to  it.  Pursue  your 
own  course,  Signor  Vice-governatore,  and  satisfy  all  your 
scruples,  in  your  own  manner.  How  shall  this  be  done  — 
will  you  go  on  board  ze  Ving-and-Ving,  and  look  for  your 
self —  send  this  honourable  magistrate,  or  shall  I  show  you 
my  commission  ?  Here  is  the  last,  altogether  at  your  ser 
vice,  and  that  of  his  Imperial  Highness,  the  Grand  Duke." 

"  I  flatter  myself  with  having  sufficient  knowledge  of 
Inghilterra,  Signor  Capitano,  though  it  be  by  means  of  books, 
to  discover  an  impostor,  could  I  believe  you  capable  of  ap 
pearing  in  so  unworthy  a  character;  and  that,  too,  in  a 
very  brief  conversation.  We  book-worms,"  added  Andrea 
Barrofaldi,  with  a  glance  of  triumph  at  his  neighbour,  for  he 


LEFEU-FOLLET. 

'iow  expected  to  give  the  podesta  an  illustration  of  the  p  rac- 
lical  benefits  of  general  learning,  a  subject  that  had  often 
r»een  discussed  between  them,  "  we  book-worms  can  manage 
ihese  trifles  in  our  own  way ;  and  if  you  will  consent  to 
:'nter  into  a  short  dialogue  on  the  subject  of  England,  her 
iiabits,  language  and  laws,  this  question  will  be  speedily  put 
nt  rest." 

"  You  have  me  at  command ;  and  nothing  would  delight 
me  more  than  to  chat  for  a  few  minutes  about  that  little 
island.  It  is  not  large,  Signore,  and  is  doubtless  of  little 
worth ;  but,  as  my  country,  it  is  much  in  my  eyes." 

"  This  is  natural.  And  now,  Signor  Capitano,  added 
Andrea,  glancing  at  the  podesta,  to  make  sure  that  he  was 
listening,  "  will  you  have  the  goodness  to  explain  to  me 
what  sort  of  a  government  this  Inghilterra  possesses  — 
whether  monarchy,  aristocracy  or  democracy?" 

"  Peste  ! — that  is  not  so  easily  answered.  There  is  a  king, 
and  yet  there  are  powerful  lords;  and  a  democracy,  too,  that 
sometimes  gives  trouble  enough.  Your  question  might 
puzzle  a  philosopher,  Signor  Vice-governatore." 

"  This  may  be  true  enough,  neighbour  Vito  Viti,  for  the 
constitution  of  Inghilterra  is  an  instrument  of  many  strings  ! 
Your  answer  convinces  me  you  have  thought  on  the  subject 
of  your  government,  Capitano,  and  I  honour  a  reflecting 
man,  in  all  situations  in  life.  What  is  the  religion  of  the 
country  ?" 

"  Corpo  di  Bacco !  that  is  harder  to  answer  than  all  the 
rest !  We  have  as  many  religions,  in  England,  as  we  have 
people.  It  is  true,  the  law  says  one  thing,  on  this  head,  but 
then  the  men,  women  and  children  say  another.  Nothing 
has  troubled  me  more  than  this  same  matter  of  religion." 

"  Ah  !  you  sailors  do  not  disquiet  your  souls  with  such 
thoughts,  if  the  truth  must  be  said.  Well,  we  will  be  indul 
gent  on  this  subject — though,  out  of  doubt,  you  and  all  your 
people  are  Luterani  ?" 

"  Set  us  down  as  what  you  please,"  answered  the  captain, 
with  an  ironical  smile.  "  Our  fathers,  at  any  rate,  were 
ill  good  Catholics  once.  But  seamanship  and  the  altar  are 
'.he  best  of  friends,  living  quite  independent  of  each  other." 

"  That  I  will  answer  for.     It  is  much  the  same  here,  caro 


I.BFEU-FOLLET.  33 

Vito  Viti,  though  our  mariners  do  burn  so  many  lamps,  and 
offer  up  so  many  aves." 

"  Your  pardon,  Signor  Vice-governatore,"  interrupted  the 
Signor  Smeet,  with  a  little  earnestness ;"  this  is  the  great 
mistake  of  your  seamen,  in  general.  Did  they  pray  less, 
and  look  to  their  duties  more,  their  voyages  would  be  shorter, 
and  the  profits  more  certain." 

"  Scandalous  !"  exclaimed  the  podesta,  in  hotter  zeal  than 
it  was  usual  for  him  to  betray  — 

"  Nay,  worthy  Vito  Viti,  it  is  even  so,"  interrupted  the 
deputy,  with  a  wave  of  the  hand,  that  was  as  authoritative  as 
the  concession  was  liberal  and  indicative  of  a  spirit  en 
lightened  by  study  ;  "  the  fact  must  be  conceded.  There 
is  the  fable  of  Hercules  and  the  wagoner,  to  confirm  it.  Did 
our  men  first  strive,  and  then  pray,  more  would  be  done, 
than  by  first  praying  and  then  striving ;  —  and  now,  Signor 
Capitano,  a  word  on  your  language,  of  which  I  have  some 
small  knowledge,  and  which  doubtless  you  speak  like  a 
native." 

"  SairtainZee,"  answered  the  captain,  with  perfect  self- 
composure,  changing  the  form  of  speech  from  the  Italian  to 
the  English  with  a  readiness  that  proved  how  strong  he  felt 
himself  on  this  point  ,*  "  one  cannot  fail  to  speak  ze  tongue 
of  his  own  mozair." 

This  was  said  without  any  confusion  of  manner,  and  with 
an  accent  that  might  very  well  mislead  a  foreigner,  and  it 
sounded  imposing  to  the  vice-go vernatore,  who  felt  a  secret 
consciousness  that  he  could  not  have  uttered  such  a  sentence, 
to  save  his  own  life,  without  ven-turing  out  of  hi«  depth : 
therefore,  he  pursued  the  discourse  in  Italian. 

"Your  language,  Signore,"  observed  Andrea  Barrofaldi, 
with  warmth,  "  is  no  doubt  a  very  noble  one,  for  the  Ian 
guage  in  which  Shakspeare  and  Milton  wrote  cannot  be  else 
but,  you  will  permit  me  to  say  that  it  has  a  uniformity  of 
sound,  with  words  of  different  letters,  that  I  find  as  unreason 
able  as  it  is  embarrassing,  to  a  foreigner." 

"  I  have  heard  such  complaints  before,"  answered  the 
captain,  not  at  all  sorry  to  find  the  examination,  which  had 
proved  so  awkward  to  himself,  likely  to  be  transferred  to  a 
language  about  which  he  cared  not  at  all,  "  and  have  littln 


34  LEFEU-FOLLET.          . 

to  say  in  its  defence.  But,  as  an  example  of  what  you 
mean  — M 

"  Why,  Signore,  here  are  several  words  that  I  have  writ- 
ten  on  this  bit  of  paper,  which  sound  nearly  alike,  though,  a* 
you  perceive,  they  are  quite  differently  spelled.  Bix,  bax, 
box,  bux,  and  bocks,"  continued  Andrea,  endeavouring  to 
pronounce,  "  big,"  "  bag,"  "  bug,"  "  bog,"  and  "  box,"  all 
of  which,  it  seemed  to  him,  had  a  very  close  family  resem 
blance,  in  sound,  though  certainly  spelled  with  different 
letters' ;  "  these  are  words,  Signore,  that  are  enough  to  drive 
a  foreigner  to  abandon  your  tongue  in  despair." 

"  Indeed  they  are ;  and  I  often  told  the  person  who  taught 
me  the  language  — " 

"  How  ;  did  you  not  learn  your  own  tongue  as  we  all  get 
our  native  forms  of  speech,  by  ear,  when  a  child  ?"  demanded 
the  vice-governatore,  his  suspicions  suddenly  revived. 

"  Without  question,  Signore,  but  I  speak  of  books,  and  of 
learning  to  read.  When  *  big,'  '  bag,'  '  bug,'  '  bog,'  and 
*  box,' "  reading  from  the  paper,  in  a  steady  voice,  and  a 
very  tolerable  pronunciation,  "  first  came  before  me,  I  felt 
all  the  embarrassment  of  which  you  speak." 

"  And  did  you  only  pronounce  these  words  when  first 
taught  to  read  them  ?" 

This  question  was  an  awkward  one  to  answer ;  but  Vito 
Viti  began  to  weary  of  a  discourse  in  which  he  could  take 
no  part,  and,  most  opportunely,  he  interposed  an  objection 
of  his  own. 

"  Signor  Barrofaldi,"  he  said,  "  stick  to  the  lugger.  All 
our  motives  of  suspicion  came  from  Tommaso  Tonti,  and  all 
of  his  from  the  rig  of  Signor  Smees'  vessel.  If  the  lugger 
can  be  explained,  what  do  we  care  about  bixy,  buxy,  boxy  !*' 

The  vice-governatore  was  not  sorry  to  get  creditably  out 
of  the  difficulties  of  the  language,  and,  smiling  on  his  friend, 
he  made  a  gentle  bow  of  compliance.  Then  he  reflected  a 
moment,  in  order  to  plan  another  mode  of  proceeding,  and 
pursued  the  inquiry. 

"  My  neighbour  Vito  Viti  is  right,"  he  said,  "  and  we  will 
stick  to  the  lugger.  Tommaso  Tonti  is  a  mariner  of  experi 
ence,  and  the  oldest  pilot  of  Elba.  He  tells  us  that  the 
lugger  is  a  craft  much  in  use  among  the  French,  and  not  at 
all  among  the  English,  so  far  as  he  has  ever  witnessed." 


L  E     P.E  U-FOLLET.  35 

"  In  that  To.  nmaso  Tonti  is  no  seaman.  Many  luggers  are 
to  be  found  among  the  English;  though  more,  certainly, 
among  the  French.  But  I  have  already  given  the  Signor 
Viii  to  understand  that  there  is  such  an  island  as  Guernsey, 
which  was  once  French,  but  which  is  now  English,  and  that 
accounts  for  the  appearances  he  has  observed.  We  are 
Guernsey-men  —  the  lugger  is  from  Guernsey  —  and,  no 
doubt,  we  have  a  Guernsey  look.  This  is  being  half  French, 
I  allow." 

"  That  alters  the  matter,  altogether.  Neighbour  Viti, 
this  is  all  true  about  the  island,  and  about  its  habits  and  its 
origin  ;  and  if  one  could  be  as  certain  about  the  names, 
why  nothing  more  need  be  said.  Are  Giac  Smees,  and 
Ving-y-Ving,  Guernsey  rmmes?" 

"  They  are  not  particularly  so,"  returned  the  sailor,  with 
difficulty  refraining  from  laughing  in  the  vice-governatore's 
face ;  "  Jaques  Smeet'  being  so  English,  that  we  are  the 
largest  family,  perhaps,  in  all  Inghilterra.  Half  the  nobles 
of  the  island  are  called  Smeet',  and  not  a  few  are  named 
Jaques.  But  little  Guernsey  was  conquered ;  and  our  an 
cestors,  who  performed  that  office,  brought  their  names  with 
them,  Signore.  As  for  Ving-And-Ving,  it  is  capital  English." 

"  I  do  not  see,  Vito,  but  this  is  reasonable.  If  the  capi- 
tano,  now,  only  had  his  commission  with  him,  you  and  I 
might  go  to  bed  in  peace,  and  sleep  till  morning." 

"  Here,  then,  Signore,  are  your  sleeping  potions,"  con 
tinued  the  laughing  sailor,  drawing  from  his  pocket  several 
papers.  "  These  are  my  orders  from  the  admiral ;  and,  as 
they  are  not  secret,  you  can  cast  your  eyes  over  them. 
This  is  my  commission,  Signor  Vice-governatore  —  this  is 
the  signature  of  the  English  minister  of  marine  —  and  here 
is  my  own,  *  Jaques  Smeet',  as  you  see,  and  here  is  the 
order  to  me,  as  a  lieutenant,  to  take  command  of  the  Ving- 
And-Ving." 

All  the  orders  and  names  were  there,  certainly,  written  in 
a  clear,  fair  hand,  and  in  perfectly  good  English.  The  only 
thing  that  one  who  understood  the  language  perfectly  would 
have  been  apt  to  advert  to,  was  the  circumstance  that  the 
words  which  the  sailor  pronounced  "  Jaques  Smeet',"  were 
written,  plainly  enough,  "  Jack  Smith"  —  an  innovation  on 
the  common  practice,  which,  to  own  the  truth,  had  proceeded 


LE     FEU-FOLLET. 


from  his  own  obstinacy,  and  had  been  done  in  the  very  teeth 
of  the  objections  of  the  scribe  who  had  forged  the  papers. 
But  Andrea  was  still  too  liitle  of  an  English  scholar  to  un 
derstand  the  blunder,  and  the  Jack  passed,  with  him,  quite 
as  currently  as  would  "  John,"  "  Edward,"  or  any  other 
appellation.  As  to  the  Wing- And- Wing,  all  was  right; 
though,  as  the  words  were  pointed  out  and  pronounced  by 
both  parties,  one  pertinaciously  insisted  on  calling  them 
"  Ving-And-Ving,"  and  the  other,  "  Ving-y-Ving."  All  this 
evidence  had  a  great  tendency  towards  smoothing  down 
every  difficulty,  and  'Maso  Tonti's  objections  were  pretty 
nearly  forgotten  by  both  the  Italians,  when  the  papers  were 
returned  to,  and  pocketed  again  by,  their  proper  owner. 

"  It  was  an  improbable  thing  that  an  enemy,  or  a  corsair, 
would  venture  into  this  haven  of  ours,  Vito  Viti,"  said  the 
vice-governatore,  in  a  self-approving  manner ;  "  for  we  have 
a  reputation  for  being  vigilant,  and  for  knowing  our  business, 
as  well  as  the  authorities  of  Livorno,  or  Geneva,  or  Napoli." 

"  And  that  too,  Signore,  with  nothing  in  the  world  to  gain 
but  hard  knocks  and  a  prison,"  added  the  Captain  Smeet', 
with  one  of  his  most  winning  smiles — a  smile  that  even 
softened  the  heart  of  the  podesta,  while  it  so  far  warmed  that 
of  his  superior,  as  to  induce  him  to  invite  the  stranger  to 
share  his  owfa  frugal  supper.  The  invitation  was  accepted 
as  frankly  as  it  had  been  given,  and,  the  table  being  ready 
in  an  adjoining  room,  in  a  few  minutes  II  Capitano  Smees 
and  Vito  Viti  were  sharing  the  vice-governatore's  evening 
meal. 

From  this  moment,  if  distrust  existed  any  longer  in  the 
breasts  of  the  two  functionaries  of  Porto  Ferrajo,  it  was  so 
effectually  smothered  as  to  be  known  only  to  themselves. 
The  light  fare  of  an  Italian-  kitchen,  and  the  light  wines  of 
Tuscany,  just  served  to  strengthen  the  system,  and  enliven 
the  spirits ;  the  conversation  becoming  general  and  lively, 
as  the  business  of  the  moment  proceeded.  At  that  day,  tea 
was  known  throughout  southern  Europe  as  an  ingredient 
only  for  the  apothecary's  keeping ;  nor  was  it  often  to  be 
found  among  his  stores ;  and  the  convives  used,  as  a  substi 
tute,  large  draughts  of  the  pleasant  mountain  liquors  of  the 
adjacent  main,  which  produced  an  excitement  scarcely 
greater,  while  it  may  be  questioned  if  it  did  as  much  injury 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  37 

to  the  health.  The  stranger,  however,  both  eat  and  drank 
sparingly,  for,  while  he  affected  to  join  cordially  in  the  dis 
course  and  the  business  of  restoration,  he  greatly  desired^to 
be  at  liberty  to  pursue  his  own  designs. 

Andrea  Barrofaldi  did  not  let  so  excellent  an  opportunity 
to  show  his  acquirements  to  the  podesta  go  by  neglected. 
He  talked  much  of  England,  its  history,  its  religion,  govern 
ment,  laws,  climate,  and  industry;  making  frequent  appeals 
to  the  Capitano  Smees  for  the  truth  of  his  opinions.  In 
most  cases  the  parties  agreed  surprisingly,  for  the  stranger 
started  with  a  deliberate  intention  to  assent  to  everything ; 
but  even  this  compliant  temper  had  its  embarrassments,  since 
the  vice-governatore  so  put  his  interrogatories  as  occasion 
ally  to  give  to  acquiescence  the  appearance  of  dissent.  The 
other  floundered  through  his  difficulties  tolerably  well,  not 
withstanding;  and  so  successful  was  he,  in  particular,  in  flat 
tering  Andrea's  self-love  by  expressions  of  astonishment 
that  a  foreigner  should  understand  his  own  country  so  well 
—  better,  indeed,  in  many  respects,  than  he  understood  it 
himself — and  that  he  should  be  so  familiar  with  its  habits, 
institutions  and  geography,  that,  by  the  time  the  flask  was 
emptied,  the  superior  functionary  whispered  to  his  inferior, 
that  the  stranger  manifested  so  much  information  and  good 
sense,  he  should  not  be  surprised  if  he  turned  out,  in  the 
long  run,  to  be  some  secret  agent  of  the  British  government, 
employed  to  make  philosophical  inquiries  as  to  the  trade  and 
navigation  of  Italy,  with  a  view  to  improve  the  business 
relations  between- the  two  countries. 

"  You  are  an  admirer  of  nobility,  and  a  devotee  of  aristo 
cracy,"  added  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  in  pursuit  of  the  subject 
then  in  hand ;  "  if  the  truth  were  known,  a  scion  of  some 
noble  house,  yourself,  Signorel" 

"I?  —  Peste !  —  I  hate  an  aristocrat,  Signer  Vice-gover 
natore,  as  I  do  the  devil !" 

This  was  said  just  after  the  freest  draught  the  stranger 
had  taken,  and  with  an  unguarded  warmth  that  he  himself 
.mmediately  regretted. 

"  This  is  extraordinary,  in  an  Inglese  !     Ah  —  I  see  how 

it  is  —  you  are  in  the  opposizione,  and  find  it  necessary  to 

say  this.    It  is  most  extraordinary,  good  Vito  Viti,  that  these 

inglese  are  divided  into  two  political  castes,  that  contradict 

4 


38  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

each  other  in  everything.  If  one  maintains  that  an  object 
is  white,  the  other  side  swears  it  is  black  ;  and  so  vice  versA. 
Both  parties  profess  to  love  their  country  better  than  any 
thing  else ;  but  the  one  that  is  out  of  power  abuses  even 
power  itself,  until  it  falls  into  its  own  hands." 

"  This  is  so  much  like  Giorgio  Grondi's  course  towards 
me,  Signore,  that  I  could  almost  swear  he  was  one  of  these 
very  opposizione  !  I  never  approve  of  a  thing  that  he 
does  not  condemn,  or  condemn,  that  he  does  not  approve. 
Do  you  confess  this  much,  Signer  Capitano  ?" 

'*  II  vice-governatore  knows  us  better  than  we  know  our 
selves,  I  fear.  There  is  too  much  truth  in  his  account  of 
our  politics ;  but,  Signori,"  rising  from  his  chair,  "  I  now 
crave  your  permission  to  look  at  your  town,  and  to  return 
to  my  vessel.  The  darkness  has  come,  and  discipline  must 
be  observed." 

As  Andrea  Barrofaldi  had  pretty  well  exhausted  his  stores 
of  knowledge,  no  opposition  was  made ;  and,  returning  his 
thanks,  the  stranger  took  his  departure,  leaving  the  two 
functionaries  to  discuss  his  appearance  and  character  over 
the  remainder  of  the  flask. 


CHAPTER  III. 

• 

There's  Jonathan,  that  lucky  lad, 
Who  knows  it  from  the  root,  sir;  — 
He  sucks  in  all  that's  to  be  had, 
And  always  trades  for  boot,  sir. 

14,763d  verse  of  Yankee  Doodle. 

IL  CAPITANO  SHEET'  was  not  sorry  to  get  out  of  the 
government-house  —  palazzo,  as  some  of  the  simple  people 
of  Elba  called  the  unambitious  dwelling.  He  had  been  well 
badgered  by  the  persevering  erudition  of  the  vice-governa 
tore0;  and,  stored  as  he  was  with  nautical  anecdotes,  and  a 
tolerable  personal  acquaintance  with  sundry  sea-ports,  for 
any  expected  occasion  of  this  sort,  he  had  never  anticipated 
a  conversation  which  would  aspire  as  high  as  the  institutions^ 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  39 

religion  and  laws  of  his  adopted  country.  Had  the  worthy 
Andrea  heard  the  numberless  maledictions,  that  the  stranger 
muttered  between  his  teeth,  as  he  left  the  house,  it  would 
have  shocked  all  his  sensibilities,  if  it  did  not  revive  his  sus 
picions. 

It  was  now  night ;  but  a  starry,  calm,  voluptuous  evening, 
such  as  are  familiar  to  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the 
Mediterranean  and  its  shores.  There  was  scarcely  a  breath 
of  wind,  though  the  cool  air,  that  appeared  to  be  a  gentle 
respiration  of  the  sea,  induced  a  few  idlers  still  to  linger  on 
the  heights,  where  there  was  a  considerable  extent  of  land, 
that  might  serve  for  a  promenade.  Along  this  walk  the 
mariner  proceeded,  undetermined,  -for  the  moment,  what  to 
do  next.  He  had  scarcely  got  into  the  open  space,  however 
before  a  female,  with  her  form  closely  enveloped  in  a  mantle 
brushed  near  him,  anxiously  gazing  into  his  face.  Hex 
motions  were  too  quick  and  sudden  for  him  to  obtain  a  look 
in  return ;  but,  perceiving  that  she  held  her  way  along  the 
heights,  beyond  the  spot  most  frequented  by  the  idlers,  he 
followed  until  she  stopped. 

"  Ghita !"  said  the  young  man,  in  a  tone  of  delight,  when 
he  had  got  near  enough  to  the  female  to  recognise  a  face 
and  form  she  no  longer  attempted  to  conceal ;  "  this  is  being 
fortunate,  indeed,  and  saves  a  vast  deal  of  trouble.  A  thou 
sand,  thousand  thanks,  dearest  Ghita,  for  this  one  act  of 
kindness.  I  might  have  brought  trouble  on  you,  as  well  as 
on  myself,  in  striving  to  find  your  residence." 

"  It  is  for  that  reason,  Raoul,  that  I  have  ventured  so 
much  more  than  is  becoming  in  my  sex,  to  meet  you.  A 
thousand  eyes,  in  this  gossiping  little  town,  are  on  your 
lugger,  at  this  moment,  and  be  certain  they  will  also  be  on 
its  captain,  as  soon  as  it  is  known  he  has  landed.  I  fear 
you  do  not  know  for  what  you  and  your  people  are  sus 
pected,  at  this  very  instant!" 

"  For  nothing  discreditable,  I  hope,  dear  Ghita,  if  it  be 
only  not  to  dishonour  your  friends  !" 

"  Many  think,  and  say,  you  are  Frenchmen,  and  that  the 
English  flag  is  only  a  disguise." 

"If  that  be  all,  we  must  bear  the  infamy,"  answered 
Raoul  Yvard,  laughing.  "  Why,  this  is  just  what  we  are, 
to  a  man,  a  single  American  excepted  ;  who  is  an  excellent 


40  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

fellow  to  make  out  British  commissions,  and  help  us  to  a 
little  English  when  harder  pushed  than  common  ;  and  why 
should  we  be  offended,  if  the  good  inhabitants  of  Porto  Fer- 
rajo  take  us  for  what  we  are !" 

"  Not  offended,  Raoul,  but  endangered.  If  the  vice-go ver- 
natore  gets  this  notion,  he  will  order  the  batteries  to  fire 
upon  you,  and  will  destroy  you  as  an  enemy." 

"  Not  he,  Ghita.  He  is  too  fond  of  le  Capitaine  Smeet', 
to  do  so  cruel  a  thing ;  and  then  he  must  shift  all  his  guns, 
before  they  will  hurt  le  Feu-Follet,  where  she  lies.  I  never 
leave  my  little  Jack-o'Lantern*  within  reach  of  an  enemy's 
hand.  Look  here,  Ghita;  you  can  see  her  through  this 
opening  in  the  houses  —  that  dark  spot  on  the  bay,  there  — 
and  you  will  perceive  no  gun  from  any  battery  in  Porto 
Ferrajo  can  as  much  as  frighten,  much  less  harm  her." 

"  I  know  her  position,  Raoul,  and  understood  why  you 
anchored  in  that  spot.  I  knew,  or  thought  I  knew  you, 
from  the  first  moment  you  came  in  plain  sight ;  and  so  long 
as  you  remained  outside,  I  was  not  sorry  to  look  on  so  old 
a  friend  —  nay,  I  will  go  farther,  and  say  I  rejoiced,  for  it 
seemed  to  me,  you  passed  so  near  the  island,  just  to  let  some, 
whom  you  knew  to  be  on  it,  understand  you  had  not  for 
gotten  them ;  but  when  you  came  into  the  bay,  I  thought 
you  mad !" 

"  Mad  I  should  have  been,  dearest  Ghita,  had  I  lived 
longer  without  seeing  you.  What  are  these  miserables  of 
El  bans,  that  I  should  fear  them !  They  have  no  cruiser  — 
only  a  few  feluccas,  all  of  which  are  not  worth  the  trouble 
of  burning.  Let  them  but  point  a  finger  at  us,  and  we  will 
tow  their  Austrian  polacre  out  into  the  bay,  and  burn  her 
before  their  eyes.  Le  Feu-Follet  deserves  her  name  ;  she 
is  here,  there,  and  everywhere,  before  her  enemies  suspect 
her." 

"  But  her  enemies  suspect  her  now,  and  you  cannot  be 
too  cautious.  My  heart  was  in  my  throat  a  dozen  times, 
while  the  batteries  were  firing  at  you,  this  evening." 

"  And  what  harm  did  they  ? — they  cost  the  Grand  Duke 
two  cartridges,  and  two  shot,  without  even  changing  the 
lugger's  course  !  You  have  seen  too  much  of  these  things, 
Ghita,  to  be  alarmed  by  smoke  and  noise." 

»  The  English  of  Feu-Follet. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  41 

"  I  have  seen  enough  of  these  things,  Raoul,  to  know- 
that  a  heavy  shot,  fired  from  these  heights,  would  have 
gone  through  your  little  Feu-Follet,  and,  coming  out  under 
water,  would  have  sunk  you  to  the  bottom  of  the  Mediterra 
nean." 

"  We  should  have  had  our  boats,  then,"  answered  Raoul 
iTvard,  with  an  indifference  that  was  not  affected,  for  reck- 
less  daring  was  his  vice,  rather  than  his  virtue ;  "  besides, 
a  shot  must  first  hit,  before  it  can  harm,  as  the  fish  must  be 
taken,  before  it  can  be  cooked.  But  enough  of  this,  Ghita  ; 
I  get  quite  enough  of  shot,  and  ships,  and  sinkings,  in  every 
day  life,  and,  now  I  have  at  last  found  this  blessed  moment, 
we  will  not  throw  away  the  opportunity  by  talking  of  such 
matters  —  " 

"  Nay,  Raoul,  I  can  think  of  nothing  else,  and  therefore 
can  talk  of  nothing  else.  Suppose  the  vice-governatore 
should  suddenly  take  it  into  his  head  to  send  a  party  of  sol 
diers  to  le  Feu-Follet,  with  orders  to  seize  her — what  would 
then  be  your  situation  ?" 

"  Let  him  ;  and  I  would  send  a  boat's  crew  to  his  palazzo, 
here,"  the  conversation  was  in  French,  which  Ghita  spoke 
fluently,  though  with  an  Italian  accent,  "  and  take  him  on 
a  cruise  after  the  English,  and  his  beloved  Austrians ! 
Bah  !  —  the  idea  will  not  cross  his  constitutional  brain,  and 
there  is  little  use  in  talking  about  it.  In  the  morning,  I  will 
send  my  prime  minister,  mon  Barras,  mon  Garnet,  mon 
Cambaceres,  mon  Ithuel  Bolt,  to  converse  with  him  on  poli 
tics  and  religion." 

"  Religion,"  repeated  Ghita,  in  a  saddened  tone ;  "  the 
less  you  say  on  that  holy  subject,  Raoul,  the  better  I  shall 
like  it,  and  the  better  it  will  be  for  yourself,  in  the  end. 
The  state  of  your  country  makes  your  want  of  religion 
matter  of  regret,  rather  than  of  accusation,  but  it  is  none  the 
less  a  dreadful  evil." 

"  Well,  then,"  resumed  the  sailor,  who  felt  he  had  touched 
a  dangerous  ground,  "  we  will  talk  of  other  things.  Even 
supposing  we  are  taken,  what  great  evil  have  we  to  appre 
hend  ?  We  are  honest  corsairs,  duly  commissioned,  and 
acting  under  the  protection  of  the  French  Republic,  one  and 
undivided,  and  can  but  be  made  prisoners  of  war.  That  is 
a  fortune  which  has  once  befallen  me,  and  no  greater  calam- 
4* 


42  LEFEL-FOLLET. 

ity  followed  than  my  having  to  call  myself  le  Capitaine 
Smeet',  and  finding  out  the  means  of  mystifying  le  vice- 
governatori." 

Ghita  laughed,  in  spite  of  the  fears  she  entertained,  for 
it  was  one  of  the  most  powerful  of  the  agencies  the  sailor 
employed  in  making  others  converts  to  his  opinions,  to  cause 
them  to  sympathize  with  his  light-hearted  gaiety,  whether 
it  suited  their  natural  temperaments  or  not.  She  knew  that 
Raoul  had  already  been  a  prisoner  in  England  two  years, 
where,  as  he  often  said  himself,  he  staid  just  long  enough  to 
acquire  a  very  respectable  acquaintance  with  the  language, 

iinot  with  the  institutions,  manners,  and  religion,  when  he 
tfiade  his  escape,  aided  by  the  American,  called  Ithuel  Bolt, 
an  impressed  seaman  of  our  own  Republic,  who  fully  enter 
ing  into  all  the  plans  imagined  by  his  more  enterprising 
friend  and  fellow-sufferer,  had  cheerfully  enlisted  in  the 
execution  of  his  future  schemes  of  revenge.  States,  like 
powerful  individuals  in  private  life,  usually  feel  themselves 
too  strong  to  allow  any  considerations  of  the  direct  conse 
quences  of  departures  from  the  right  to  influence  their  policy, 
and  a  nation  is  apt  to  fancy  its  power  of  such  a  character, 
as  to  despise  all  worldly  amends,  while  its  moral  responsi 
bility  is  divided  among  too  many  to  make  it  a  matter  of  much 
moral  concernment  to  its  particular  citizens.  Nevertheless, 

he  truth  will  show  that  none  are  so  low,  but  they  may  be 
come  dangerous  to  the  highest ;  and  even  powerful  commu 
nities  seldom  fail  to  meet  with  their  punishment  for  every 
departure  from  justice.  It  would  seem,  indeed,  that  a  prin 
ciple  pervades  nature,  which  renders  it  impossible  for  man 
to  escape  the  consequences  of  his  own  evil  deeds,  even  in 
this  life  ;  as  if  God  had  decreed  the  universal  predominance 
of  truth,  and  the  never-failing  downfall  of  falsehood,  from 
the  beginning ;  the  success  of  wrong  being  ever  temporary, 
while  the  triumph  of  the  right  is  eternal.  To  apply  these 
consoling  considerations  to  the  matter  more  immediately 
before  us ;  the  practice  of  impressment,  in  its  day,  raised  a 
feeling  among  the  seamen  of  other  nations,  as  well  as,  in 
fact,  among  those  of  Great  Britain  herself,  that  probably  has 
had  as  much  effect  in  destroying  the  prestige  of  her  nautical 
invincibility,  supported,  as  was  that  prestige,  by  a  vast 
existing  force,  as  any  other  one  cause  whatever.  It  was 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  43 

necessary,  to  witness  the  feeling  of  hatred  and  resentment 
that  was  raised  by  the  practice  of  this  despotic  power,  more 
especially  among  those  who  felt  that  their  foreign  birth  ought 
at  least  to  have  assured  them  impunity  from  the  abuse,  in 
order  fully  to  appreciate  what  might  so  readily  become  its 
consequences.  Ithuel  Bolt,  the  seaman  just  mentioned,  was 
a  proof,  in  a  small  way,  of  the  harm  that  even  an  insignifi 
cant  individual  can  effect,  when  his  mind  is  fully  and  wholly 
bent  on  revenge.  Ghita  knew  him  well;  and,  although  she 
little  liked  either  his  character  or  his  appearance,  she  had 
often  been  obliged  to  smile  at  the  narrative  of  the  deceptions 
he  practised  on  the  English,  and  of  the  thousand  low  inven 
tions  he  had  devised  to  do  them  injury.  She  was  not  slow, 
now,  to  imagine  that  his  agency  had  not  been  trifling  in 
carrying  on  the  present  fraud. 

"  You  do  not  openly  call  your  lugger  le  Feu-Follet,  Ra- 
oul ;"  she  answered,  after  a  minute's  pause;  "  that  would 
be  a  dangerous  name  to  utter,  even  in  Porto  Ferrajo.  It  is 
not  a  week  since  I  heard  a  mariner  dwelling  on  her  mis 
deeds,  and  the  reasons  that  all  good  Italians  have  to  detest 
her.  It  is  fortunate  the  man  is  a\vay,  or  he  could  not  fail 
to  know  you." 

"  Of  that  I  am  not  so  certain,  Ghita.  We  alter  our  paint 
often,  and,  at  need,  can  aker  our  rig.  You  may  be  certain, 
however,  that  we  hide  our  Jack-o'Lantern,  and  sail  under 
another  name.  The  lugger,  now  she  is  in  the  English  ser 
vice,  is  called  the  "  Ving-And-Ving." 

"  I  heard  the  answer  given  to  the  hail  from  the  shore,  but 
it  sounded  different  from  this." 

"Non  —  Ving-And-Ving.  Ithuel  answered  for  us,  and 
you  may  be  sure  he  can  speak  his  own  tongue.  Ving-And- 
Ving  is  the  word,  and  he  pronounces  it  as  I  do." 

"  Ving-y-Ving !"  repeated  Ghita,  in  her  pretty  Italian 
tones,  dropping  naturally  into  the  vice-governatore's  fault  of 
pronunciation — "  it  is  an  odd  name,  and  I  like  it  less  than 
Feu-Follet." 

"I  wish,  dearest  Ghita,  I  could  persuade  you  to  like  the 
name  of  Yvard,"  rejoined  the  young  man,  in  a  half- reproach 
ful,  half-tender  manner,  "  and  I  should  care  nothing  for  any 
other.  You  accuse  me  of  disrespect  for  priests ;  but  no  son 
could  ever  kneel  to  a  father  for  his  blessing,  half  so  readily 


44  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

or  half  so  devoutly,  as  I  could  kneel  with  thee,  before  any 
friar  in  Italy,  to  receive  that  nuptial  benediction  which  1 
have  so  often  asked  at  your  hand,  but  which  you  have  so 
constantly  and  so  cruelly  refused." 

"  I  am  afraid  the  name  would  not  then  be  Feu-Follet,  but 
Ghita-Folie,"  said  the  girl,  laughing,  though  she  felt  a  bitter 
pang  at  the  heart,  that  cost  her  an  effort  to  control ;  —  "  no 
more  of  this  now,  Raoul ;  we  may  be  observed,  and  watched; 
it  is  necessary  that  we  separate." 

A  hurried  conversation,  of  more  interest  to  the  young 
couple  themselves,  than  it  would  prove  to  the  reader,  though 
it  might  not  have  been  wholly  without  the  latter,  but  which 
it  would  be  premature  to  relate,  now  followed,  when  Ghita 
left  Raoul  on  the  hill,  insisting  that  she  knew  the  town  too 
well  to  have  any  apprehensions  about  threading  its  narrow 
and  steep  streets,  at  any  hour,  by  herself.  This  much,  in 
sooth,  must  be  said  in  favour  of  Andrea  Barrofaldi's  adminis 
tration  of  justice ;  he  had  made  it  safe  for  the  gentle,  the 
feeble  and  the  poor,  equally,  to  move  about  the  island  by 
day  or  by  night ;  it  seldom  happening  that  so  great  an  enemy 
to  peace  and  tranquillity  appeared  among  his  simple  depend 
ants,  as  was  the  fact  at  this  precise  moment. 

In  the  mean  time,  there  was  not  quite  as  much  tranquillity 
hvPorto  Ferrajo,  as  the  profound  silence  which  reigned  in 
the  place  might  have  induced  a  stranger  to  imagine.  Tom- 
maso  Tonti  was  a  man  of  influence,  within  his  sphere,  as 
well  as  the  vice-governatore ;  and  having  parted  from  Vito 
Viti,  as  has  been  related,  he  sought  the  little  clientelle  of 
padroni,  and  piloti,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  listening  to  his 
opinions  as  if  they  were  oracles.  The  usual  place  of  resort 
of  this  set,  after  dark,  was  a  certain  house  kept  by  a  widow 
of  the  name  of  Benedetta  Galopo,  the  uses  of  which  were 
plainly  enough  indicated  by  a  small  bush  that  hung  dangling 
from  a  short  pole,  fastened  above  the  door.  If  Benedetta 
knew  anything  of  the  proverb,  that  "  good  wine  needs  no 
bush,"  she  had  not  sufficient  faith  in  the  contents  of  her  own 
casks,  to  trust  their  reputation ;  for  thi.*  bush  of  hers  was  as 
regularly  renewed,  as  its  withering  leaves  required.  Indeed, 
it  was  a  common  remark,  among  her  customers,  that  her 
bush  was  always  as  fresh  as  her  face,  and  that  the  latter 
was  one  of  the  most  comely  that  was  to  be  met  with  on  tho 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  45 

island ;  a  circumstance  that  aided  much  indifferent  wine,  in 
finding  a  market.  Benedetta  bore  a  reasonably  good  name, 
nevertheless,  though  it  was  oftener  felt,  perhaps,  than  said, 
that  she  was  a  confirmed  coquette.  She  tolerated  'Maso 
principally  on  two  accounts ;  because,  if  he  were  old  and 
unattractive  in  his  own  person,  many  of  his  followers  were 
among  the  smartest  seamen  of  the  port,  and  because  he  not 
only  drank  his  full  proportion,  but  paid  with  punctuality. 
These  inducements  rendered  the  pilot  always  a  welcome 
guest  at  La  Santa  Maria  Degli  Venti,  as  the  house  was  called, 
though-  it  had  no  other  sign  than  the  often-renewed  bush, 
already  mentioned. 

At  the  very  moment,  then,  when  Raoul  Yvard  and  Ghita 
parted  on  the  hill,  'Maso  was  seated  in  his  usual  place,  at 
the  table  in  Benedetta's  upper  room,  the  windows  of  which 
commanded  as  full  a  view  of  the  lugger  as  the  hour  permit- 
ted  ;  that  craft  being  anchored  about  a  cable's  length  distant, 
and,  as  a  sailor  mi-ght  have  expressed  it,  just  abeam.  On 
this  occasion  he  had  selected  the  upper  room,  and  but  three 
companions,  because  it  was  his  wish  that  as  few  should 
enter  into  his  counsels,  as^at  all  comported  with  the  love  of 
homage  to  his  own  experience.  The  party  had  been  assem 
bled  a  quarter  of  arThour,  and  there  had  been  time  to  cause 
the  tide  to  ebb  materially  in  the  flask,  which  it  may  be  well 
to  tell  the  reader  at  once,  contained  very  little  less  than  half 
a  gallon  of  liquor,  such  as  it  was. 

""  I  have  told  it  all  to  the  podesta,"  saitl  'Maso,  with  an 
important  manner,  as  he  put  down  his  glass,  after  potation 
the  second,  which  quite  equalled  potation  the  first,  in  quan 
tity  ;  "  yes,  I  have  told  it  all  to  Vito  Viti,  and  no  doubt  he 
has  told  it  to  II  Signer  Viee-governatore,  who  now  knows  as 
much  about  the  whole  matter  as  either  of  us  four.  Cospetto ! — 
to  think  such  a  thing  dare  happen  in  a  haven  like  Porto 
Ferrajo  !  Had  it  come  to  pass  over  on  the  other  side  of  the 
island,  at  Porto  Longone,  one  wouldn't  think  so  much  of  it, 
for  they  are  never  much  on  the  look-out ;  but,  to  take  place 
here,  in  the  very  capital  of  Elba,  I  should  as  soon  have 
expected  it  in  Livorno  !" 

"  Bet,  'Maso,"  put  in  Daniele  Bruno,  in  the  manner  of  one 
who  was  a  little  sceptical,  "  I  have  often  seen  the  pavilion 
of  the  Inglese,  and  this  is  as  much  like  that  which  all  their 


.46  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

frigates  and  corvettes  wear,  "as  one  of  our  feluccas  is  like 
another.  The  flag,  at  least,  is  right." 

"  What  signifies  a  flag,  Daniele,  when  a  French  hand  can 
hoist  an  English  ensign  as  easily  as  the  king  of  Inghilterra, 
himself?  If  that  lugger  was  not  built  by  the  Francese,  you 
were  not  built  by  an  Italian  father  and  mother.  But,  I 
should  not  think  so  much  of  the  hull,  for  that  may  have  been 
captured,  as  the  English  take  many  of  their  enemies  on  the 
high  seas  ;  but  look  at  the  rigging  and  sails — Santa  Maria  ! 
I  could  go  to  the  shop  of  the  very  sail-maker,  in  Marseilles, 
who  made  that  foresail !  His  name  is  Pierre  Benoit,  and  a 
very  good  workman  he  is,  as  all  will  allow  who  have  had 
occasion  to  employ  him." 

This  particularity  greafly  aided  the  argument ;  common 
minds  being  seldom  above  yielding  to  the  circumstances 
which  are  so  often  made  to  corroborate  imaginary  facts. 
Tommaso  To-nti,  though  so  near  the  truth  as  to  his  main  point 
—  the  character  of  the  visiter — was  singularly  out  as  to  the 
sail,  notwithstanding  ;  le  Feu-Follet  having  been  built, 
equipped,  and  manned  at  Nantes,  and  Pierre  Benoit  never 
having  seen  her  or  her  foresail  either ;  but,  it  mattered  not, 
in  the  way  of  discussion  and  assertion,  one  sail-maker  being 
as  good  as  another,  provided  he  was  French. 

"  And  hr\ve  you  mentioned  this  to  the  podesta  ?"  in 
quired  Benedetta,  who  stood  with  the  empty  flask  in  her 
hand,  listening  to^the  discourse ;  "  I  should  think  that  sail 
would  open  his  eyes." 

"  I  cannot  say  I  have ;  but  then  I  told  him  so  many  other 
things,  more  to  the  point,  that  he  cannot  do  less  than  believe 
this,  when  he  hears  it.  Signer  Viti  promised  to  meet  me 
here,  after  he  has  had  a  conversation  with  the  vioe-gover- 
natore ;  and  we  may  now  expect  him  every  minute." 

"  II  Signer  Podesta  will  be  welcome,"  said  Benedetta, 
wiping  off  a  spare  table,  and  bustling  round  the  room  to 
make  things  look  a  little  smarter  than  they  ordinarily  did ; 
"  he  may  frequent  grander  wine-houses  than  this,  but  he 
will  hardly  find  better  liquor." 

"  Poverina  ! — Don't  think  that  the  podesta  comes  here  on 
any  such  errand ;  he  comes  to  meet  me  ;"  answered  'Maso, 
with  an  indulgent  srnile  ;  "  he  takes  his  wine  too  often  on 
the  heights,  to  wish  to  come  as  low  as  this  after  a  glass. 


LBFEU-FOLLET.  47 

Friends  of  mine  (amigi  mii),  there  is  wine  up  at  that  house, 
that,  when  the  oil  is  once  out  of  the  neck  of  the  flask,*  goes 
down  a  man's  throat  as  smoothly  as  if  it  were  all  oil  itself! 
I  could  drink  a  flask  of  it  without  once  stopping  to  take 
breath.  It  is  that  liquor  which  makes  the  nobles  so  light 
and  airy." 

"  I  know  the  washy  stuff,"  put  in  Benedetta,  with  more 
warmth  than  she  was  used  to  betray  to  her  customers ; 
"  well  may  you  call  it  smooth,  a  good  spring  running  near 
each  of  the  wine-presses  that  have  made  it.  I  have  seen 
some  of  it  that  even  oil  would  not  float  on !" 

This  assertion  was  a  fair  counterpoise  to  that  of  the  sail 
being  about  as  true.  But  Benedetta  had  too  much  experi 
ence  in  the  inconstancy  of  men,  not  to  be  aware  that  if  the 
three  or  four  customers  who  were  present,  should  seriously 
take  up  the  notion  that  the  island  contained  any  better  liquoi 
than  that  she  habitually  placed  before  them,  her  value  might 
be  sensibly  diminished,  in  their  eyes.  As  became  a  wo 
man  who  had  to  struggle  singly  with  the  world,  too,  her 
native  shrewdness  taught  her,  that  the  best  moment  to  refute 
a  calumny  was  to  stop  it  as  soon  as  it  began  to  circulate, 
and  her  answer  was  as  warm  in  manner,  as  it  was  positive 
in  terms.  This  was  an  excellent  opening  for  an  animated 
discussion,  and  one  would  have  been  very  likely  to  occur, 
had  there  not  fortunately  been  steps  heard  without,  that 
induced  'Maso  to  expect  the  podesta.  Sure  enough,  the  door 
opened,  and  Vito  Viti  appeared,  followed,  to  the  astonishment 
of  all  the  guests,  and  to  the  absolute  awe  of  Benedetta,  by 
the  v ice-go vernatore  himself. 

The  solution  of  this  unexpected  »isit  is  very  easily  given. 
After  the  departure  of  the  Capitano  Smees,  Vito  Viti  returned 
to  the  subject  of  'Maso's  suspicions,  and  by  suggesting  cur 
tain  little  circumstances  in  the  mariner's  manner,  that  he  had 
noted  during  the  interview,  he  so  far  succeeded  in  making 
an  impression  on  himself,  that,  in  the  end,  his  own  distrust 
revived,  and  with  it  that  of  the  deputy-governor.  Neither, 
however,  could  be  said  to  be  more  than  uneasy,  and  the 
podesta  happening  to  mention  his  appointment  with  the  pilot, 
Andrea  determined  to  accompany  him,  in  order  to  recon- 

*  It  is  a  practice  of  Tuscany,  to  put  a  ftw  drops  of  oil  in  the  neck 
of  each  flask  of  the  more  delicate  wines,  to  exclude  the  air. 


4:8  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

noitre  the  strange  craft  in  person.  Both  the  functionaries 
wore  their  cloaks,  by  no  means  an  unusual  thing  in  the  cool 
night  air  of  the  coast,  even  in  midsummer,  which  served 
them  for  all  the  disguise  that  circumstances  required. 

"  II  Signer  Vice-governatore  !"  almost  gasped  Benedetta, 
dusting  a  chair,  and  then  the  table,  and  disposing  of  the 
former  near  the  latter  by  a  sort  of  mechanical  process,  as  if 
only  one  errand  could  ever  bring  a  guest  within  her  doors ; 
"  your  eccellenza  is  most  welcome ;  and  it  is  an  honour  I 
could  oftener  ask.  We  are  humble  people,  down  here  at  the 
water  side,  but  I  hope  we  are  just  as  good  Christians  as  if 
we  lived  upon  the  hill." 

"Doubt  it  not,  worthy  Bettina— " 

"  My  name  is  Benedetta,  at  your  eccellenza's  command — 
Benedettina,  if  it  please  the  vice-governatore ;  but  not  Bettina. 
We  think  much  of  our  names,  down  here  at  the  water  side, 
eccellenza." 

"  Let  it  be  so,  then,  good  Benedetta,  and  I  make  no  doubt 
you  are  excellent  Christians.  —  A  flask  of  your  wine,  if  it 
be  convenient." 

The  woman  dropped  a  curtsy  that  was  full  of  gratitude ; 
and  the  glance  of  triumph  that  she  cast  at  her  other  guests, 
may  be  said  to  have  terminated  the  discussion  that  was  about 
to  commence,  as  the  dignitaries  appeared.  It  disposed  of 
the  question  of  the  wine  at  once,  and  for  ever  silenced  cavil 
ling.  If  the  vice-governatore  could  drink  her  liquor,  what 
mariner  would  henceforth  dare  calumniate  it? 

"  Eccellenza,  with  a  thousand  welcomes,"  Benedetta  con- 
tinued,  as  she  placed  the  flask  on  the  table,  after  having 
carefully  removed  the  cotton  and  the  oil  with  her  own  plump 
hand  ;  this  being  one  of  half-a-dozen  flasks  of  really  sound, 
well-flavoured,  Tuscan  liquor,  that  she  kept  for  especial 
occasions ;  as  she  well  might,  the  cost  being  only  a  paul,  or 
ten  cents  for  near  half  a  gallon  ;  "  Eccellenza,  a  million 
times  welcome.  This  is  an  honour  that  don't  befall  the 
Santa  Maria  Degli  Venti  more  than  once  in  a  century ;  and 
you,  too,  Signer  Podesta,  once  before,  only,  have  you  ever 
had  leisure  to  darken  my  poor  door." 

"  We  bachelors"  —  the  podesta,  as  well  as  the  vice-gover 
nor,  belonged  to  the  fraternity — "  we  bachelors  are  afraid  to 
trust  ourselves  too  often  in  the  company  of  sprightly  widows, 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  4'J 

like  yourself,  whose  beauty  has  rather  improved  than  less 
ened,  by  a  few  years." 

This  brought  a  coquettish  answer,  during  which  time 
Andrea  Barrofaldi,  having  first  satisfied  himself  that  the 
wine  might  be  swallowed  with  impunity,  was  occupied  in 
surveying  the  party  of  silent  and  humble  mariners,  who 
\vere  seated  at  the  other  table.  His  object  was  to  ascertain 
how  far  he  might  have  committed  himself,  by  appearing  in 
such  a  place,  when  his  visit  could  not  well  be  attributed  to 
more  than  one  motive.  'Maso  he  knew,  as  the  oldest  pilot 
of  the  place ;  and  he  had  also  some  knowledge  of  Daniele 
Bruno,  but  the  three  other  seamen  were  strangers  to  him. 

"  Inquire  if  we  are  among  friends,  here,  and  worthy  sub 
jects  of  the  Grand  Duke,  all ;"  observed  Andrea  to  Vito 
Viti,  in  a  low  voice. 

"Thou  nearest,  'Maso,"  observed  the  podesta;  "canst 
thou  answer  for  all  of  thy  companions  ?" 

"  Every  one  of  them,  Signore ;  this  is  Daniele  Bruno, 
whose  father  was  killed  in  a  battle  with  the  Algerines,  and 
whose  mother  was  the  daughter  of  a  mariner,  as  well  known 
in  Elba,  as—" 

"  Never  mind  the  particulars,  Tommaso  Tonti,"  interrupted 
the  vice-governatore  — "  it  is  sufficient  that  thou  knowest 
all  thy  companions  to  be  honest  men,  and  faithful  servants 
of  the  sovrano.  "  You  all  know,  most  probably,  the  errand 
which  has  brought  the  Signor  Viti  and  myself  to  this  house, 
to-night?" 

The  men  looked  at  each  other,  as  the  ill-instructed  are 
apt  to  do,  when  it  becomes  necessary  to  answer  a  question 
that  concerns  many;  assisting  the  workings  of  their  minds, 
as  it  might  be,  with  the  aid  of  the  senses  ;  and  then  Daniele 
Bruno  took  on  himself  the  office  of  spokesman. 

"  Signore,  vostro  eccellenza,  we  think  we  do,"  answered 
the  man.  "  Our  fellow,  'Maso  here,  has  given  us  to  under 
stand  that  he  suspects  the  Inglese  that  is  anchored  in  the 
bay,  to  be  no  Inglese  at  all,  but  either  a  pirate  or  a  French 
man.  The  blessed  Maria  preserve  us  !  but  in  these  troubled 
times  it  does  not  make  much  difference  which." 

"  I  will  not  say  as  much  as  that,  friend,  for  one  would  be 
an  outcast  among  all  people,  while  the  other  would  have  the 
rights  which  shield  the  servants  of  civilized  nations ;"  re- 
5 


50  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

turned  the  scrupulous  and  just-minded  functionary.  "  The 
time  was  when  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the  emperor,  and  his 
illustrious  brother,  our  sovereign,  the  Grand  Duke,  did  not 
allow  that  the  republican  government  of  France  was  a  law 
ful  government ;  but  the  fortune  of  war  removed  his  scruples, 
and  a  treaty  of  peace  has  allowed  the  contrary.  Since  the 
late  alliance,  it  is  our  duty  to  consider  all  Frenchmen  as 
enemies,  though  it  by  no  means  follows  that  we  are  to  con 
sider  them  as  pirates." 

u  But  their  corsairs  seize  all  our  craft,  Signore,  and  treat 
their  people  as  if  they  were  no  better  than  dogs :  then,  they 
tell  me  that  they  are  not  Christians — no,  not  even  Lute- 
rani,  or  heretics !" 

"  That  religion  does  not  flourish  among  them,  is  true," 
answered  Andrea,  who  loved  so  well  to  discourse  on  such 
subjects,  that  he  would  have  stopped  to  reason  on  religion 
or  manners,  with  the  beggar  to  whom  he  gave  a  pittance, 
did  he  only  meet  with  encouragement ;  "  but  it  is  not  as  bad 
in  France,  on  this  important  head,  as  it  has  been  ;  and  we 
may  hope  that  there  will  be  further  improvement,  in  due 
time." 

"  But,  Signer  Yice-governatore,"  put  in  'Maso,  "  these 
people  have  treated  the  holy  father,  and  his  states,  in  a  way 
that  one  would  not  treat  an  Infidel  or  a  Turk !" 

"  Ay,  that  is  it,  Signori,"  observed  Benedetta  —  "  a  poor 
woman  cannot  go  to  mass  without  having  her  mind  disturbed 
by  the  thoughts  of  the  wrongs  done  the  head  of  the  church. 
Had  these  things  come  from  Luterani,  it  might  have  been 
borne,  but  they  say  the  Francese  were  once  all  good  Catho 
lics  r 

"  So  were  the  Luterani,  bella  Benedetta,  to  their  chief 
schismatic  and  leader,  the  German  monk  himself." 

This  piece  of  information  caused  great  surprise,  even  the 
podesta  himself  turning  an  inquiring  glance  at  his  superior, 
as  much  as  to  acknowledge  his  own  wonder  that  a  Protest 
ant  should  ever  have  been  anything  but  a  Protestant  —  or 
rather,  a  Lutheran,  anything  but  a  Lutheran  —  the  word 
Protestant  being  too  significant  to  be  in  favour  among  those 
who  deny  there  were  any  just  grounds  for  a  protest  at  all. 
That  Luther  had  ever  been  a  Romanist,  was  perfectly  won 
derful,  even  in  the  eyes  of  Vito  Viti. 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  51 

"  Signore,  you  would  hardly  mislead  these  honest  people, 
01  a  matter  as  grave  as  this !"  exclaimed  the  podesla. 

"  1  do  but  tell  you  truth  ;  and  one  of  these  days  you  shall 
hear  the  whole  story,  neighbour  Viti.  'Tis  worth  an  hour 
of  leisure,  to  any  man,  and  is  very  consoling  and  useful  to 
a  Christian.  But  who  have  you  below,  Benedetta  —  I  hear 
steps  on  the  stairs,  and  wish  not  to  be  seen." 

The  widow  stepped  promptly  forward  to  meet  her  new 
guests,  and  to  show  them  into  a  commoner  room,  below 
stairs,  when  her  movement  was  anticipated  by  the  door's 
opening,  and  a  man's  standing  on  the  threshold.  It  was  now 
too  late  to  prevent  the  intrusion,  and  a  little  surprise  at  the 
appearance  of  the  new-comer,  held  all  mute  and  observant 
for  a  minute. 

The  person  who  had  followed  his  ears,  and  thus  reached 
the  sanctum  sanctorum  of  Benedetta,  was  no  other  than 
Ithuel  Bolt,  the  American  seaman,  already  named  in  the 
earlier  part  of  this  chapter.  He  was  backed  by  a  Genoese, 
who  had  come  in  the  double  capacity  of  interpreter  and  boon 
companion.  That  the  reader  may  the  better  understand  the 
character  he  has  to  deal  with,  however,  it  may  be  necessary 
to  digress,  by  giving  a  short  account  of  the  history,  appear 
ance  and  peculiarities  of  the  former  individual. 

Ithuel  Bolt  was  a  native  of  what,  in  this  great  Union,  is 
called  the  granite  state.  Notwithstanding  he  was  not  abso 
lutely  made  of  the  stone  in  question,  there  was  an  absence 
of  the  ordinary  symptoms  of  natural  feeling  about  him,  that 
had  induced  many  of  his  French  acquaintances  in  particular 
to  affirm  that  there  was  a  good  deal  more  of  marble  in  his 
moral  temperament,  at  least,  than  usually  fell  to  the  lot  of 
human  beings.  He  had  the  outline  of  a  good  frame,  but  it 
was  miserably  deficient  in  the  filling  up.  The  bone  pre 
dominated  ;  the  sinews  came  next  in  consideration ;  nor  was 
the  man  without  a  proper  share  of  muscle ;  but  this  last  was 
so  disposed  of  as  to  present  nothing  but  angles,  whichever 
way  he  was  viewed.  Even  his  thumbs  and  fingers  were 
nearer  square  than  round,  and  his  very  neck,  which  was 
bare,  though  a  black  silk  kerchief  was  tied  loosely  round  the 
throat,  had  a  sort  of  pentagon  look  about  it,  that  defied  all 
symmetry  or  grace.  His  stature  was  just  six  feet  and  an 
inch,  when  he  straightened  himself;  as  he  did  from  time  to 


52  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

time,  seemingly  with  a  desire  to  relieve  a  very  inveterate 
stoop  in  his  shoulders ;  though  it  was  an  inch  or  two  less  in 
the  position  he  most  affected.  His  hair  was  dark,  and  his 
skin  had  got  several  coats  of  confirmed  brown  on  it,  by  ex 
posure,  though  originally  rather  fair,  while  the  features  were 
good,  the  forehead  being  broad  and  full,  and  the  mouth 
positively  handsome.  This  singular  countenance  was  illu 
minated  by  two  keen,  restless,  whitish  eyes,  that  resembled, 
not  spots  on  the  sun,  but  rather  suns  on  a  spot.  • 

Ithuel  had  gone  through  all  the  ordinary  vicissitudes  of 
an  American  life,  beneath  those  pursuits  which  are  com 
monly  thought  to  be  confined  to  the  class  of  gentlemen.  He 
had  been  farmer's  boy,  printer's  devil,  schoolmaster,  stage- 
driver,  and  tin-pedlar,  before  he  ever  saw  the  sea.  In  the 
way  of  what  he  called  "  chores,"  too,  he  had  practised  all 
the  known  devices  of  rustic  domestic  economy ;  having 
assisted  even  in  the  washing  and  house-cleaning,  besides 
having  passed  the  evenings  of  an  entire  winter  in  making 
brooms. 

Ithuel  had  reached  his  thirtieth  year  before  he  dreamed 
of  going  to  sea.  An  accident,  then,  put  preferment  in  this 
form  before  his  eyes,  and  he  engaged  as  the  mate  of  a  small 
coaster,  on  his  very  first  voyage.  Fortunately,  the  master 
never  found  out  his  deficiencies,  for  Ithuel  had  a  self-pos 
sessed,  confident  way  with  him,  that  prevented  discovery, 
until  they  were  outside  of  the  port  from  which  they  sailed, 
when  the  former  was  knocked  overboard  by  the  main  boom, 
and  drowned.  Most  men,  so  circumstanced,  would  have 
returned,  but  Bolt  never  laid  his  hand  to  the  plough  and 
looked  back.  Besides,  one  course  was  quite  as  easy  to  him 
as  another.  Whatever  he  undertook  he  usually  completed, 
in  some  fashion  or  other,  though  it  were  often  much  better 
had  it  never  been  attempted.  Fortunately  it  was  summer, 
the  wind  was  fair,  and  the  crew  wanted  little  ordering ;  and 
as  it  was  quite  a  matter  of  course  to  steer  in  the  right  direction, 
until  the  schooner  was  carried  safely  into  her  proper  port, 
she  arrived  safely ;  her  people  swearing  that  the  new  mate 
was  the  easiest  and  cleverest  officer  they  had  ever  sailed 
with.  And  well  they  might,  for  Ithuel  took  care  not  to  issue 
an  order,  until  he  had  heard  it  suggested  in  terms  by  one 
of  the  hands,  and  then  he  never  failed  to  repeat  it,  word  for 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  f)3 

word,  as  if  it  were  a  suggestion  of  his  own.  As  for  the 
reputation  of"  cleverest"  officer,  which  he  so  easily  obtained, 
it  will  be  understood,  of  course,  that  the  term  was  used  in 
the  provincial  signification  that  is  so  common  in  the  part  of 
the  world  from  which  Ithuel  came.  He  was  "  clever"  in 
this  sense,  precisely  in  proportion  as  he  was  ignorant.  His 
success,  on  this  occasion,  gained  him  friends,  and  he  was 
immediately  sent  out  again  as  the  regular  master  of  the 
craft,  in  which  he  had  so  unexpectedly  received  his  promo 
tion.  He  now  threw  all  the  duty  on  the  mate ;  but  so  ready 
was  he  in  acquiring,  that,  by  the  end  of  six  months,  he  was 
a  much  better  sailor  than  most  Europeans  would  have  made 
in  three  years.  As  the  pitcher  that  goes  too  often  to  the 
well  is  finally  broken,  so  did  Ithuel  meet  with  shipwreck,  at 
last,  in  consequence  of  gross  ignorance  on  the  subject  of 
navigation.  This  induced  him  to  try  a  long  voyage,  in  a 
more  subordinate  situation,  until,  in  the  course  of  time,  he 
was  impressed  by  the  commander  of  an  English  frigate,  who 
had  lost  so  many  of  his  men  by  the  yellow  fever,  that  he 
seized  upon  all  he  could  lay  his  hands  on,  to  supply  their 
places,  even  Ithuel  being  acceptable  in  such  a  strait. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

"The  ship  is  here  put  in, 
A  Veronese  ;  Michael  Cassio, 
Lieutenant  to  the  warlike  Moor  Othello, 
Is  come  on  shore:  —  " 

Othello. 

THE  glance  which  Ithuel  cast  around  him  was  brief,  but 
comprehensive.  He  saw  that  two  of  the  party  in  the  room 
were  much  superior  to  the  other  four,  and  that  the  last  were 
common  Mediterranean  mariners.  The  position  which 
Benedetta  occupied  in  the  household  could  not  be  mistaken, 
for  she  proclaimed  herself  its  mistress  by  her  very  air  ;  whe 
ther  it  were  in  the  upper  or  in  the  lower  room. 

"  Vino,"  said  Ithuel,  with  a  flourish  of  the  hand,  to  help 


54  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

along  his  Italian,  this  and  one  or  two  more  being  the  only 
words  of  the  language  he  ventured  to  use  directly,  or  with 
out  calling  in  the  assistance  of  his  interpreter;  "vino  — 
vino,  vino,  Signora." 

•*  Si,  si,  si,  Signore,"  answered  Benedetta,  laughing,  and 
this  with  her  meaning  eyes  so  keenly  riveted  on  the  person 
of  her  new  guest,  as  to  make  it  very  questionable  whether 
she  were  amused  by  anything  but  his  appearance ;  "  your 
eccellenza  shall  be  served ;  but  whether  at  a  paul,  or  a  half- 
paul  the  flask,  depends  on  your  own  pleasure.  We  keep 
wine  at  both  prices,  and,"  glancing  towards  the  table  of 
Andrea  Barrofaldi,  "  usually  serve  the  first  to  signori  of 
rank  and  distinction." 

"  What  does  the  woman  say  ?"  growled  Ithuel  to  his 
interpreter,  a  Genoese,  who  from  having  served  several 
years  in  the  British  navy,  spoke  English  with  a  very  toler 
able  facility —  "  you  know  what  we  want,  arid  just  tell  her 
to  hand  it  over,  and  I  will  fork  out  her  St.  Paul,  without 
more  words.  What  a  desperate  liking  your  folks  have  for 
saints,  Philip-o,"  for  so  Ithuel  pronounced  Filippo,  the  name 
of  his  companion  — "  what  a  desperate  liking  your  folks 
have  for  saints,  Philip-o,  that  they  must  even  call  their 
money  after  them." 

"  It  not  so  in  America,  Signor  Bolto  ?"  asked  the  Genoese, 
after  he  had  explained  his  wishes  to  Benedetta,  in  Italian ; 
"  it  no  ze  fashion  in  your  country  to  honour  ze  saints  ?" 

"  Honour  the  saints  !"  repeated  Ithuel,  looking  curiously 
around  him,  as  he  took  a  seat  at  a  third  table,  shoving  aside 
the  glasses  at  the  same  time,  and  otherwise  disposing  of 
every  thing  within  reach  of  his  hand,  so  as  to  suit  his  own 
notions  of  order,  and  then  leaning  back  on  his  chair  until 
the  two  ends  of  the  uprights  dug  into  the  plaster  behind  him, 
while  the  legs  on  which  the  fabric  was  poised  cracked  with 
his  weight ;  "  honour  the  saints  !  we  should  be  much  more 
like  to  dishonour  them  !  What  does  any  one  want  to  honour 
a  saint  for  ?  A  saint  is  but  a  human  —  a  man  like  you  and 
me,  after  all  the  fuss  you  make  about  'em.  —  Saints  abound 
in  my  country,  if  you  'd  believe  people's  account  of  them 
selves." 

"Not  quite  so,  Signor  Bolto.  You  and  me  no  great  saint. 
Italian  honour  saint  because  he  holy  and  good." 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  55 

By  this  time  Ithuel  had  got  his  two  feet  on  the  round  of 
his  seat,  his  knees  spread  so  as  to  occupy  as  much  space 
as  an  unusual  length  of  leg  would  permit,  and  his  arms 
extended  on  the  tops  of  two  chairs,  one  on  each  side  of  him, 
in  a  way  to  resemble  what  is  termed  a  spread  eagle. 

Andrea  Barrofaldi  regarded  all  this  with  wonder.  It  is 
true,  he  expected  to  meet  with  no  great  refinement  in  a 
wine-house  like  that  of  Benedetta's  ;  but  he  was  unaccustomed 
to  see  such  nonchalance  of  manner  in  a  man  of  the  stranger's 
class  ;  or,  indeed,  of  any  class  ;  the  Italian  mariners  present 
occupying  their  chairs  in  simple  and  respectful  attitudes,  as 
if  each  man  had  the  wish  to  be  as  little  obtrusive  as  possible. 
Still  he  let  no  sign  of  his  surprise  escape  him,  noting  all  that 
passed  in  a  grave  but  attentive  silence.  Perhaps  he  saw 
traces  of  national  peculiarities,  if  not  of  national  history,  in 
the  circumstances. 

"  Honour  saint  because  he  holy  and  good  !"  said  Ithuel, 
with  a  very  ill-concealed  disdain  —  **  why,  that  is  the  very 
reason  why  we  don't  honour  'em.  When  you  honour  a 
holy  man,  mankind  may  consait  you  do  it  on  that  very 
account,  and  so  fall  into  the  notion  you  worship  him,  which 
would  be  idolatry,  the  awful  lest  of  all  sins,  and  the  one  to 
which  every  ra'al  Christian  gives  the  widest  bairth.  I  would 
rayther  worship  this  flask  of  wine,  any  day,  than  worship 
the  best  saint  on  your  parson's  books." 

As  Filippo  was  no  casuist,  but  merely  a  believer,  and 
Ithuel  applied  the  end  of  the  flask  to  his  mouth,  at  that  mo 
ment,  from  an  old  habit  of  drinking  out  of  jugs  and  bottles, 
the  Genoese  made  no  answer;  keeping  his  eyes  on  the 
flask,  which,  by  the  length  of  time  it  remained  at  the  other's 
mouth,  appeared  to  be  in  great  danger  of  being  exhausted  ; 
a  matter  of  some  moment  to  one  of  his  own  relish  for  the 
liquor. 

"  Do  you  call  this  wine !"  exclaimed  Ilhuel,  when  he 
•stopped,  literally  to  take  breath  ;  "  there  isn't  as  much  true 

granite  in  a  gallon  on't,  as  in  a  pint  of  our  cider.     I  could 

swallow  a  butt,  and  then  walk  a  plank  as  narrow  as  your 

'elision,  Philip-o !" 

This  was  said,  nevertheless,  with  a  look  of  happiness 
which  proved  how  much  the  inward  man  was  consoled  by 

vhat  it  had  received,  and  a  richness  of  expression  about  the 


56  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

handsome  mouth,  that  denoted  a  sort  of  consciousness  thai 
it  had  been  the  channel  of  a  most  agreeable  communication 
.o  the  stomach.  Sooth  to  say,  Benedetta  had  brought  up  a 
lisisk  at  a  paul,  or  at  about  four  cents  a  bottle ;  a  flask  of  thu 
very  quality  which  she  had  put  before  the  vice-governatore  j 
jjtid  this  was  a  liquor  that  flowed  so  smoothly  over  the. 
i :  1 1  ate,  and  of  a  quality  so  really  delicate,  that  Ithuel  was  by 
no  means  aware  of  the  potency  of  the  guest  which  he  had 
admitted  to  his  interior. 

All  this  time  the  vice-governatore  was  making  up  his 
mind  concerning  the  nation  and  character  of  the  strange*. 
That  he  should  mistake  Bolt  for  an  Englishman,  was  natu 
ral  enough,  and  the  fact  had  an  influence  in  again  unsettling 
his  opinion  as  to  the  real  flag  under  which  the  lugger  sailed. 
Like  most  Italians  of  that  day,  he  regarded  all  the  families 
of  the  northern  hordes  as  a  species  of  barbarians ;  an  opin 
ion  that  the  air  and  deportment  of  Ithuel  had  no  direct 
agency  in  changing;  for,  while  this  singular  being  was  not 
brawlingly  rude  and  vulgar,  like  the  coarser  set  of  his  own 
rountrymen,  with  whom  he  had  occasionally  been  brought 
in  contact,  he  was  so  manifestly  uncivilized,  in  many  mate 
rial  points,  as  to  put  his  claim  to  gentility  much  beyond  a 
cavil,  and  that  in  a  negative  way. 

"  You  are  a  Genoese  ?'  said  Andrea  to  Filippo,  speaking 
with  the  authority  of  one  who  had  a  right  to  question. 

"  Signore,  I  am,  at  your  eccellenza's  orders,  though  in? 
foreign  service  at  this  present  moment." 

"  In  what  service,  friend  ?  I  am  in  authority,  here  in 
Elba,  and  ask  no  more  than  is  my  duty." 

"  Eccellenza,  I  can  well  believe  this,"  answered  Filippo, 
rising  and  making  a  respectful  salutation,  and  one,  too,  that 
was  without  any  of  the  awkwardness  of  the  same  act  in  a 
more  northern  man,  "  as  it  is  to  be  seen  in  your  appearance. 
I  am  now  in  the  service  of  the  king  of  England." 

Filippo  said  this  steadily,  though  his  eyes  dropped  to  the 
floor,  under  the  searching  scrutiny  they  endured.  The 
answer  of  the  vice-governatore  was  delivered  coolly,  though 
it  was  much  to  the  point. 

"  You  are  happy,"  he  said,  "  in  getting  so  honourable 
masters  ;  more  especially  as  your  own  country  has  again 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  French.  Every  Italian  hear* 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  5? 

must  yearn  for  a  government  that  has  its  existence  and  its 
motives  on  this  side  of  the  Alps/" 

"  Signore,  we  are  a  republic  to-day,  and  ever  have  been, 
you  know." 

«  Ay  —  such  as  it  is.  But  your  companion  speaks  no 
Italian  —  he  is  an  Inglese  ?" 

«*  No,  Signore — an  Americano  :  a  sort  of  an  Inglese,  and 
yet  no  Inglese,  after  all.  He  loves  England  very  little,  if 
I  can  judge  by  his  discourse." 

"  Un'  Americano  !"  repeated  Andrea  Barrofaldi ;  "  Ameri 
cano  !"  exclaimed  Vito  Viti ;  "  Americano !"  said  each  of 
the  mariners  in  succession,  all  eyes  turning  with  lively 
curiosity  towards  the  sutject  of  the  discourse,  who  bore  it 
all  with  appropriate  steadiness  and  dignity.  The  reader  is 
not  to  be  surprised  that  an  American  was  then  regarded 
with  curiosity,  in  a  country  like  Italy ;  for,  two  years  later, 
when  an  American  ship  of  war  anchored  suddenly  before 
the  town  of  Constantinople,  and  announced  her  nation,  the 
authorities  of  the  Sublime  Porte  were  ignorant  that  such  a 
country  existed.  It  is  true,  Leghorn  was  beginning  to  be 
much  frequented  by  American  ships,  in  the  year  1799 ;  but 
even  with  these  evidences  before  their  eyes,  the  people  of 
the  very  ports  into  which  these  traders  entered,  were  accus 
tomed  to  consider  their  crews  a  species  of  Englishmen,  who 
managed  to  sail  the  vessels  for  the  negroes  at  home.*  In  a 
word,  two  centuries  and  a  half  of  national  existence,  and 
more  than  half  a  century  of  national  independence,  have  not 
yet  sufficed  to  teach  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  old  world,  that 
the  great  modern  Republic  is  peopled  by  men  of  a  European 
origin,  and  possessing  white  skins.  Even  of  those  who  are 
aware  of  the  fact,  the  larger  proportion,  perhaps,  have  ob 
tained  their  information  through  works  of  a  light  character, 
similar  to  this  of  our  own,  rather  than  by  the  more  legiti 
mate  course  of  regular  study,  and  a  knowledge  of  history. 

"  Si,"  repeated  Ithuel,  with  emphasis,  as  soon  as  he  heard 

*  As  recently  as  1828,  the  author  of  this  book  was  at  Leghorn. 
The  Delaware,  80,  had  just  left  there;  and  speaking  of  her  appearance 
to  a  native  of  the  place,  who  supposed  the  writer  to  be  an  Englishman, 
the  latter  observed  —  "Of  course,  her  people  were  all  blacks."  "I 
thought  so,  too,  signore,  until  I  went  on  board  the  ship,"  was  the  an 
swer  ;  "  but  they  are  as  white  as  you  and  I  are." 


58  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

his  nationality  thus  alluded  to,  and  found  all  eyes  on  himself— 
"  Si,  oon  Americano — I  'm  not  ashamed  of  my  country  ;  and 
if  you  're  any  way  partic'lar  in  such  matters,  I  come  from 
New  Hampshire — or,  what  we  call  the  Granite  State.  Tell 
'em  this,  Philip-o,  and  let  me  know  their  idees,  in  answer." 

Filippo  translated  this  speech,  as  well  as  he  could,  as  he 
did  the  reply  ;  and  it  may  as  well  be  stated  here,  once  for 
all,  that  in  the  dialogue  which  succeeded,  the  instrumentality 
of  this  interpreter  was  necessary  that  the  parties  might 
understand  each  other.  The  reader  will,  therefore,  give 
Filippo  credit  for  this  arrangement,  although  we  shall  fur 
nish  the  different  speeches  very  much  as  if  the  parties  fully 
comprehended  what  was  said. 

"  Uno  stato  di  granito  /"  repeated  the  vice-governatore, 
looking  at  the  podesta  with  some  doubt  in  the  expression  of 
his  countenance  — "  it  must  be  a  painful  existence  which 
these  poor  people  endure,  to  toil  for  their  food  in  such  a 
region.  Ask  him,  good  Filippo,  if  they  have  any  wine  in 
his  part  of  the  world." 

"  Wine !"  echoed  Ithuel ;  "  tell  the  Signore  that  we 
shouldn't  call  this  stuff  wine  at  all.  Nothing  goes  down  our 
throats  that  doesn't  rasp  like  a  file^  and  burn  like  a  chip  out 
of  Vesuvius.  I  wish,  now,  we  had  a  drink  of  New  England 
rum  here,  in  order  to  show  him  the  difference.  I  despise 
the  man  who  thinks  all  his  own  things  the  best,  just  because 
they  're  his  'n ;  but  taste  is  taste,  a'ter  all,  and  there 's  no 
denying  it." 

"  Perhaps  the  Signer  Americano  can  give  us  an  insight 
into  the  religion  of  his  country  —  or  are  the  Americani  pa 
gans  1  I  do  not  remember,  Vito,  to  have  read  anything  of 
the  religion  of  that  quarter  of  the  world." 

"  Religion,  too  !  —  well  a  question  like  this,  now,  would 
make  a  stir  among  our  folks  in  New  Hampshire !  Look 
here,  Signore  ;  we  don't  call  your  ceremonies,  and  images, 
and  robes,  and  ringing  of  bells,  and  bowing  and  scraping,  a 
religion  at  all ;  any  more  than  we  should  call  this  smooth 
liquor,  wine." 

Ithuel  was  more  under  the  influence  of  this  "  smooth  liquor" 
than  he  was  aware  of,  or  he  would  not  have  been  so  loud  in 
the  expression  of  his  dissent ;  as  experience  had  taught  him 
the  necessity  of  reserve  on  such  subjects,  in  most  Catholic 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  59 

communities.  But  of  all  this  the  Signor  Barrofaldi  was  ig 
norant,  and  he  made  his  answer  with  the  severity  of  a  good 
Catholic,  though  it  was  with  the  temper  of  a  gentleman. 

"  What  the  Americano  calls  our  ceremonies,  and  images, 
and  ringing  of  bells,  are  probably  not  understood  by  him," 
he  said ;  "  since  a  country  as  little  civilized  as  his  own, 
cannot  very  well  comprehend  the  mysteries  of  a  profound 
and  ancient  religion." 

"  Civilized  !  I  calculate  that  it  would  stump  this  part  of 
the  world  to  produce  such  a  civilization  as  our  very  young 
est  children  are  brought  up  on.  But  it 's  of  no  use  talking, 
and  so  we  will  drink." 

Andrea  perceiving,  indeed,  that  there  was  not  much  use 
in  talking,  more  especially  as  Filippo  had  been  a  good  deal 
mystified  by  the  word  "  stump"  was  now  disposed  to  aban 
don  the  idea  of  a  dissertation  on  "  religion,  manners  and 
laws,"  to  come  at  once  to  the  matter  that  brought  him  into 
the  present  company. 

"  This  Americano  is  also  a  servant  of  the  English  king,  it 
would  seem,"  he  carelessly  remarked :  "  I  remember  to  have 
heard  that  there  was  a  war  between  his  country  and  that  of 
the  Inglesi,  in  which  the  French  assisted  the  Americani  to 
obtain  a  sort  of  a  national  independence.  What  that  inde 
pendence  is,  I  do  not  know ;  but  it  is  probable  that  the  people 
of  the  New  World  are  still  obliged  to  find  mariners  to  serve 
in  the  navy  of  their  former  masters." 

Ithuel's  muscles  twitched,  and  an  expression  of  Inten§e 
bitterness  darkened  his  countenance.  Then  he  smiled  in  a 
sort  of  derision,  and  gave  vent  to  his  feelings  in  words. 

"  Perhaps  you  're  right,  Signore ;  perhaps  this  is  the  ra'al 
truth  of  the  matter  ;  for  the  British  do  take  our  people,  just 
the  same  as  if  they  had  the  best  right  in  the  world  to  'em. 
A'ter  all,  we  may  be  serving  our  masters ;  and  all  we  say 
and  think  at  home,  about  independence,  is  just  a  flash  in  the 
pan !  Notwithstanding,  some  on  us  contrive,  by  hook  or 
by  crook,  to  take  our  revenge,  when  occasion  offers ;  and 
if  I  don't  sarve  Master  John  Bull  an  ill  turn,  whenever  luck 
throws  a  chance  in  my  way,  may  I  never  see  a  bit  of  the 
old  State  again  —  granite  or  rotten  wood." 

This  speech  was  not  very  closely  translated,  but  enough 
was  said  to  awaken  curiosity  in  the  vice-governatore,  who 


00  LBFEU-FOLLET. 

thought  it  odd  one  who  served  among  the  English  should 
entertain  such  feelings  towards  them.  As  for  Ithuel,  himself, 
he  had  not  observed  his  usual  caution  ;  but,  unknown  to  him 
self,  the  oily  wine  had  more  "  granite"  in  it  than  he  imagined, 
and  then  he  seldom  spoke  of  the  abuse  of  impressment  with 
out  losing  more  or  less  of  his  ordinary  self-command. 

'*  Ask  the  Americano  when  he  first  entered  into  the  service 
of  the  king  of  Inghilterra,"  said  Andrea,  "and  why  he  stays 
in  it,  if  it  is  unpleasant  to  him,  when  so  many  opportunities 
of  quitting  it  offer  ?" 

"  I  never  entered,"  returned  Ithuel,  taking  the  word  in  its 
technical  meaning ;  "  they  pressed  me,  as  if  I  had  been  a 
dog  they  wanted  to  turn  a  spit,  and  kept  me  seven  long 
years,  fighting  their  accursed  battles,  and  otherwise  sarving 
their  eends.  I  was  over  here,  last  year,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Nile,  in  that  pretty  bit  of  work — and  off  Cape  St.  Vincent, 
too — and  in  a  dozen  more  of  their  battles,  and  sorely  against 
my  will,  on  every  account.  This  was  hard  to  be  borne,  but 
the  hardest  of  it  has  not  yet  been  said  ;  nor  do  I  know  that 

1  shall  tell  on 't  at  all." 

"  Anything  the  Americano  may  think  proper  to  relate, 
will  be  listened  to  with  pleasure." 

Ithuel  was  a  good  deal  undecided  whether  to  go  on,  or 
not ;  but  taking  a  fresh  pull  at  the  flask,  it  warmed  his  feel- 
ings  to  the  sticking  point. 

"  Why,  it  was  adding  insult  to  injury*  It 's  bad  enough 
to  injure  a  man,  but  when  it  comes  to  insulting  him  into  the 
bargain,  there  must  be  but  little  grit  in  his  natur',  if  it  don't 
strike  fire."  ^^: 

"  And  yet  few  are  wronged  who  are  not  calumniated," 
observed  the  philosophical  vice-governatore.  "  This  is  only 
too  much  the  case  with  our  Italy,  worthy  neighbour,  Vito 
Viti." 

"  I  calculate  the  English  treat  all  mankind  alike,  whether 
it 's  in  Italy  or  Ameriky,'r  for  so  Ithuel  would  pronounce 
this  word,  notwithstanding  he  had  now  been  cruising  in  and 
near  the  Mediterranean  several  years ;  "  but  what  I  found 
hardest  to  be  borne,  was  their  running  their  rigs  on  me 
about  my  language  and  ways,  which  they  were  all  the  time 
laughing  at  as  Yankee  conversation  and  usages,  while  they 
pretended  that  the  body  out  of  which  all  on  it  come,  was  an 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  61 

English  body,  and  so  they  set  it  up  to  be  shot  at,  by  any  of 
their  inimies  that  might  happen  to  be  jogging  along  our  road. 
Then,  squire,  it  is  generally  consaited  among  us  in  Ameriky, 
that  we  speak  much  the  be^t  English  a-going ;  and  sure  am 
I,  that  none  on  us  call  a  '  hog,'  an  '  'og,'  an  *  anchor,'  a 
1  hanchor,'  or  a  '  horse,'  an  '  'orse.'  What  is  thought  of 
that  matter  in  this  part  of  the  world,  Signer  Squire  ?" 

"  We  are  not  critics  in  your  language,  but  it  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  the  English  speak  their  own  tongue  better 
than  any  other  people.  That  much  must  be  conceded  to 
them,  at  least,  Signer  Bolto." 

"  I  shall  acknowledge  no  such  advantage  as  belonging  to 
them.  I  have  not  been  to  school  for  nothing,  not  I.  The 
English  call  c-1-e-r-k,  dark  ;  and  c-u-c-u-m-b-e-r,  cowcum- 
ber ;  an  a-n-g-e-1,  aingel ;  and  no  reasoning  can  convince 
me  that 's  right.  I  've  got  a  string  of  words,  of  this  sort, 
that  they  pronounce  out  of  all  reason,  that's  as  long  as  a 
pair  of  leading-lines,  or  a  ship's  tiller-rope.  You  must 
know,  Signor  Squire,  I  kept  school,  in  the  early  part  of  my 
life." 

*'  Non  e  possibile  /"  exclaimed  the  vice-governatore, 
astonishment  actually  getting  the  better  of  his  habitual  good 
breeding ;  "  you  must  mean,  Signor  Americano,  that  you 
gave  lessons  in  the  art  of  rigging  and  sailing  luggers." 

"  You  never  was  more  mistaken,  Signore.  I  taught,  on 
the  general  system,  all  sorts  of  things  in  the  edication  way  ; 
and  had  one  of  my  scholars  made  such  a  blunder  as  to  say, 
'  dark,'  or  '  aingel,'  or  '  harth,'  or  '  cowcumber,'  he  wouldn't 
have  heard  the  last  of  it,  for  that  week,  at  least.  But  I 
despise  an  Englishman,  from  the  very  bottom  of  my  soul ; 
for  heart  isn't  deep  enough  for  my  feelings." 

Absurd  as  Ithuel's  critical  dissertations  must  appear  to  all 
who  have  any  familiarity  with  real  English,  they  were  not 
greatly  below  many  criticisms  on  the  same  subject  that  often 
illustrate  the  ephemeral  literature  of  the  country ;  and,  in  his 
last  speech,  he  had  made  a  provincial  use  of  the  word  "  de 
spise,"  that  is  getting  to  be  so  common,  as  almost  to  sup 
plant  the  true  signification.  By  "  despising,"  Ithuel  meant 
that  he  "  hated ;"  the  passion,  perhaps,  of  all  others,  the 
most  removed  from  the  feeling  described  by  the  word  he 
had  used,  inasmuch  as  it  is  not  easy  to  elevate  those  for 
6 


62  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

whom  we  have  a  contempt,  to  the  level  necessary  to  be 
hated. 

"  Notwithstanding,  *  the  Inglese  are  not  a  despicable 
people,"  answered  Andrea,  who. was  obliged  to  take  the 
stranger  literally,  since  he  knew  nothing  of  his  provincial 
use  of  terms  ;  "  for  a  nation  of  the  north,  they  have  done 
marvellous  things,  of  late  years,  especially  on  the  ocean." 

This  was  more  than  Ithuel  could  bear.  All  his  personal 
wrongs,  and  sooth  to  say  they  had  been  of  a  most  grievous 
nature,  arose  before  his  mind,  incited  and  inflamed  by 
national  dislike;  and  he  broke  out  in  such  an  incoherent 
tirade  of  abuse,  as  completely  set  all  Filippo's  knowledge 
of  English  at  fault,  rendering  a  translation  impossible.  By 
this  time,  Ithuel  had  swallowed  so  much  of  the  wine,  a  liquor 
which  had  far  more  body  than  he  supposed,  that  he  was  ripe 
for  mischief,  and  it  was  only  his  extreme  violence  that  pre 
vented  him  from  betraying  more,  than,  just  at  the  moment, 
would  have  been  prudent.  The  vice-goverriatore  listened 
with  attention,  in  the  hope  of  catching  something  useful ;  but 
it  all  came  to  his  ears  a  confused  mass  of  incoherent  vitupe 
ration,  from  which  he  could  extract  nothing.  The  scene, 
consequently,  soon  became  unpleasant,  and  Andrea  Barro- 
faldi  took  measures  to  put  an  end  to  it.  Watching  a  favour 
able  occasion  to  speak,  he  put  in  a  word,  as  the  excited 
Bolt  paused  an  instant,  to  take  breath. 

"  Signore,"  observed  the  vice-go vernatore,  "  all  this  may 
be  very  true ;  but  as  coming  from  one  who  serves  the  In 
glese,  to  one  who  is  the  servant  of  their  ally,  the  Grand 
Duke  of  Tuscany,  it  is  quite  as  extraordinary  as  it  is  un 
called  for ;  and  we  will  talk  of  other  things.  This  lugger, 
on  board  which  you  sail,  is  out  ol  all  question  English,  not 
withstanding  what  you  tell  us  of  the  nation." 

"  Ay,  she  is  English,"  answered  Ithuel,  with  a  grim  smile, 
"  and  a  pretty  boat  she  is.  But  then  it  is  no  fault  of  hers, 
and  what  can't  be  cured  'must  be  endured.  A  Guernsey 
craft,  and  a  desperate  goer,  when  she  wakes  up  and  puts  on 
her  travelling  boots." 

"These  mariners  have  a  language  of  their  own,"  re 
marked  'Andrea  to  Vito  Viti,  smiling  as  in  consideration  of 
Ithuel's  nautical  habits ;  "  to  you  and  me,  the  idea  of  a  ves 
sel's  using  boots,  neighbour,  seems  ridiculous;  but  the  sea- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  63 

men,  in  their  imaginations,  bestow  all  sorts  of  objects  on 
them.  It  is  curious  to  hear  them  converse,  good  Vito :  and 
now  I  am  dwelling  here  on  our  island,  I  have  often  thought 
of  collecting  a  number  of  their  images,  in  order  to  aid  in 
illustrating  the  sort  of  literature  that  belongs  to  their  calling. 
This  idea  of  a  lugger's  putting  on  her  boots,  is  quite  heroic!" 

Now  Vito  Viti,  though  an  Italian  with  so  musical  a  name, 
was  no  poet,  but  a  man  so  very  literal,  withal,  as  to  render 
him  exceedingly  matter  of  fact,  in  most  of  his  notions. 
Accordingly,  he  saw  no  particular  beauty  in  the  idea  of  a 
vessel's  wearing  boots;  and,  though  much  accustomed  to 
defer  to  the  vice-governatore's  superior  knowledge,  and 
more  extensive  reading,  he  had  the  courage,  on  this  occa 
sion,  to  put  in  an  objection  to  the  probability  of  the  circum 
stance  mentioned. 

"  Signer  Vice-governatore,"  he  replied,  "  all  is  not  gold 
that  glitters.  "  Fine  words  sometimes  cover  poor  thoughts, 
and,  I  take  it,  this  is  an  instance  of  what  I  mean.  Long  as 
I  have  lived  in  Porto  Ferrajo,  and  that  is  now  quite  fifty 
years,  seeing  that  I  was  born  here,  and  have  been  off  the 
island  but  four  times  in  my  life  —  and  long,  therefore,  as  I 
have  lived  here,  I  never  saw  a  vessel  in  the  harbour  that 
wore  boots,  or  even  shoes." 

"This^is  metaphorical,  good  Vito,  and  must  be  looked  at 
in  a  poetical  point  of  view.  Homer  speaks  of  goddesses 
holding  shields  before  their  favourite  warriors  ;  while  Ariosto 
makes  rats  and  asses  hold  discourse  together,  as  if  they  were 
members  of  an  academy.  All  this  is  merely  the  effect  of 
imagination,  Signore;  and  he  who  has  the  most,  is  the  aptest 
at  inventing  circumstances,  which,  though  not  strictly  true, 
are  vastly  agreeable." 

"  As  for  Homer  and  Ariosto,  Signor  Vice-governatore,  I 
doubt  if  either  ever  saw  a  vessel  with  a  boot  on,  or  if  either 
ever  knew  as  much  about  craft,  in  general,  as  we  who  live 
here  in  Porto  Ferrajo.  Harkee,  friend  Filippo,  just  ask 
this  Americano  if,  in  his  country,  he  ever  saw  vessels  wear 
boots.  Put  the  question  plainly,  and  without  any  of  your 
accursed  poetry." 

Filippo  did  as  desired,  leaving  Ithuel  to  put  his  own  con 
struction  on  the  object  of  the  inquiry ;  all  that  had  just 


64  LE     FEU-FO  LLET. 

passed  being  sealed  to  him,  in  consequence  of  its  having 
been  uttered  in  good  Tuscan. 

"  Boots  !"  repeated  the  native  of  the  granite  State,  looking 
round  him  drolly ;  "  perhaps  not  exactly  the  foot-part,  and 
the  soles,  for  they  ought,  in  reason,  to  be  under  water ;  but 
every  vessel  that  isn't  coppered  shows  her  boot-top — of  them, 
I  '11  swear  I  've  seen  ten  thousand,  more  or  less." 

This  answer  mystified  the  vice-governatore,  and  com 
pletely  puzzled  Vito  Viti,  The  grave  mariners  at  the  other 
table,  too,  thought  it  odd,  for  in  no  other  tongue  is  the  lan 
guage  of  the  sea  as  poetical,  or  figurative,  as  in  the  English  ; 
and  the  term  of  boot-top,  as  applied  to  a  vessel,  was  Greek 
to  them,  as  well  as  to  the  other  listeners.  They  conversed 
among  themselves  on  the  subject,  while  their  two  superiors 
were  holding  a  secret  conference  on  the  other  side  of  the 
room,  giving  the  American  time  to  rally  his  recollection,  and 
remember  the  precise  circumstances  in  which  not  only  he 
himself,  but  all  his  shipmates,  were  placed.  No  one  could 
be  more  wily  and  ingenious  than  this  man,  when  on  his 
guard,  though  the  inextinguishable  hatred  with  which  he 
regarded  England,  and  Englishmen,  had  come  so  near 
causing  him  to  betray  a  secret  which  it  was  extremely  im 
portant,  at  that  moment,  to  conceal.  At  length  a  general 
silence  prevailed,  the  different  groups  of  speakers  ceasing  to 
converse,  and  all  looking  towards  the  vice-governatore,  as 
if  in  expectation  that  he  was  about  to  suggest  something  that 
might  give  a  turn  to  the  discourse.  Nor  was  this  a  mistake, 
for,  after  inquiring  of  Benedetta  if  she  had  a  private  room, 
he  invited  Ithuel  and  the  interpreter  to  follow  him  into  it, 
leading  the  way,  attended  by  the  podesta.  As  soon  as  these 
four  were  thus  separated  from  the  others,  the  door  was 
closed,  and  the  two  Tuscans  came  at  once  to  the  point. 

"  Signer  Americano,"  commenced  the  vice-governatore, 
"  between  those  who  understand  each  other,  there  is  little 
need  of  many  words.  This  is  a  language  which  is  compre 
hended  all  over  the  world,  and  I  put  it  before  you  in  the 
plainest  manner,  that  we  may  have  no  mistake." 

"It  is  tolerable  plain,  sartain  !"  exclaimed  Ithuel — "  two — 
four — six — eight — ten — all  good-looking  gold  pieces,  that,  in 
this  part  of  the  world  you  call  zecchini  — or  sequins,  as  we 
name  'em,  in  English.  What  have  I  done,  Signor  Squire,  or 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  65 

what  am  I  to  do  for  these  twenty  dollars?  Name  your 
terms  ;  this  working  in  the  dark  is  ag'in  the  grain  of  my 
natur'." 

"  You  are  to  tell  the  truth  ;  we  suspect  the  lugger  of  being 
French ;  and  by  putting  the  proof  in  our  hands,  you  will 
make  us  your  friends,  and  serve  yourself." 

Andrea  Barrofaldi  knew  little  of  America  and  Americans, 
but  he  had  imbibed  the  common  European  notion  that  money 
was  the  great  deity  worshipped  in  this  hemisphere,  and  that 
all  he  had  to  do  was  to  offer  a  bribe,  in  order  to  purchase  a 
man  of  IthuePs  deportment  and  appearance.  In  his  own 
island,  ten  sequins  would  buy  almost  any  mariner  of  the 
port,  to  do  any  act  short  of  positive  legal  criminality ;  and 
the  idea  that  a  barbarian  of  the  west  would  refuse  such  a 
sum,  in  preference  to  selling  his  shipmates,  never  crossed 
his  mind.  Little,  however,  did  the  Italian  understand  the 
American.  A  greater  knave  than  Ithuel,  in  his  own  way, 
it  was  not  easy  to  find ;  but  it  shocked  all  his  notions  of 
personal  dignity,  self-respect,  and  republican  virtue,  to  be 
thus  unequivocally  offered  a  bribe ;  and  had  the  lugger  not 
been  so  awkwardly  circumstanced,  he  would  have  been  apt 
to  bring  matters  to  a  crisis,  at  once,  by  throwing  the  gold 
into  the  vice-governatore's  face ;  although,  knowing  where 
it  was  to  be  found,  he  might  have  set  about  devising  some 
means  of  cheating  the  owner  out  of  it,  at  the  very  next  in 
stant.  Boon  or  bribe,  directly  and  unequivocally  offered 
in  the  shape  of  money,  as  coming  from  the  superior  to  the 
inferior,  or  from  the  corrupter  to  the  corrupted,  had  he  never 
taken ;  and  it  would  have  appeared,  in  his  eyes,  a  species 
of  degradation  to  receive  the  first,  and  of  treason  to  his 
nationality,  to  accept  the  last,  though  he  would  lie,  invent, 
manage  and  contrive,  from  morning  till  night,  in  order  to 
transfer  even  copper  from  the  pocket  oF  his  neighbour  to  his 
own,  under  the  forms  of  opinion  and  usage.  In  a  word, 
Ithuel,  as  relates  to  such  things,  is  what  is  commonly  called 
iaw-honest,  with  certain  broad  salvoes,  in  favour  of  smug 
gling  of  all  sorts,  in  foreign  countries  (at  home  he  never 
dreamed  of  such  a  thing),  custom-house  oaths,  and  legal 
.  trickery  ;  and  this  is  just  the  class  of  men  apt  to  declaim  the 
loudest"  against  the  roguery  of  the  rest  of  mankind.  Had 
there  been  a  law  giving  half  to  the  informer,  he  might  not 
6* 


66  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

have  hesitated  to  betray  the  lugger,  and  all  she  contained 
more  especially  in  the  way  of  regular  business ;  but  he  had 
long  before  determined  that  every  Italian  was  a  treacherous 
rogue,  and  not  at  all  to  be  trusted  like  an  American  rogue ; 
and  then  his  indomitable  dislike  of  England  would  have  kept 
him  true  in  a  case  of  much  less  complicated  risk  than  this. 
Commanding  himself,  however,  and  regarding  the  sequins 
with  natural  longing,  he  answered  with  a  simplicity  of  man 
ner  that  both  surprised  and  imposed  on  the  vice-governatore. 

"  No — no — Signer  Squire,"  he  said  ;  "  in  the  first  place, 
I  've  no  secret  to  tell ;  and  it  would  be  a  trickish  thing  to 
touch  your  money,  and  not  give  you  its  worth  in  return  ; 
and  then  the  lugger  is  Guernsey  built,  and  carries  a  good 
King  George's  commission.  In  my  part  of  the  world,  we 
never  take  gold  unless  we  sell  something  of  equal  valie. 
Gifts  and  begging  we  look  upon  as  mean  and  unbecoming, 
and  the  next  thing  to  going  on  to  the  town  as  a  pauper ; 
though  if  I  can  sarve  you  lawfully,  like,  I  'm  just  as  willing 
to  work  for  your  money,  as  for  that  of  any  other  man's. 
I  've  no  preference  for  king's,  in  that  partic'lar." 

Ail  this  time  Ithuel  held  out  the  sequins,  with  a  show  of 
returning  them,  though  in  a  very  reluctant  manner,  leaving 
Andrea,  who  comprehended  his  actions  much  better  than 
his  words,  to  understand  that  he  declined  selling  his  secret. 

"  You  can  keep  the  money,  friend,"  observed  the  vice- 
governatore,  "  for  when  we  give,  in  Italy,  it  is  not  our 
practice  to  take  the  gift  back  again.  In  the  morning,  per- 
haps,  you  .will  remember  something  that  it  may  be  useful 
for  me  to  know." 

"  I  've  no  occasion  for  gifts,  nor  is  it  exactly  accordin'  to 
the  granite  rule  to  accept  'em,"  answered  Ithuel,  a  little 
sharply.  "  Handsome  conduct  is  handsome  conduct ;  and 
I  call  the  fellow-creetur'  that  would  oppress  and  overcome 
another  with  a  gift,  little  better  than  an  English  aristocrat. 
Hand  out  the  dollars  in  the  way  of  trade,  in  as  large 
amounts  as  you  will,  and  I  '11  find  the  man,  and  that,  too,  in 
the  lugger,  who  will  see  you  out  in't,  to  your  heart's  con 
tent.  —  Harkee,  Philip-o ;  tell  the  gentleman,  in  an  under 
tone,  like,  about  the  three  kegs  of  tobacco  we  got  out  of 
the  Virginy  ship,  the  day  we  made  the  north  end  of  Corsica, 
and  perhaps  that  will  satisfy  him  we  are  not  his  inimies. 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  67 

Theie  is  no  use  in  bawling  it  out,  so  that  the  woman  can 
hear  what  you  say,  or  the  men  who  are  drinking  in  the 
other  room." 

"  Signer  Ithuello,"  answered  the  Genoese,  in  English,  "  it 
will  no  do  to  let  these  gentlemen  know  anything  of  them 
kegs — one  being  the  deputy -governor  and  the  other  a  magis 
trate.  The* lugger  will  be  seized  for  a  smuggler,  which 
will  be  the  next  thing  to  being  seized  for  an  enemy." 

."  Yet  I  've  a  longing  for  them  'ere  sequins,  to  tell  you  the 
truth,  Philip-o  !  I  see  no  other  means  of  getting  at  'em, 
except  it  be  through  them  three  kegs  of  tobacco." 

"  Why  you  don't  take  'em,  when  the  Signore  put  'em 
into  your  very  hand  ?  All  you  do  is  put  him  in  your  pocket, 
and  say,  '  Eccellenza,  what  you  please  to  wish  V  " 

"  That  isn't  granite,  man,  but  more  in  the  natur'  of  you 
Italians.  The  most  disgraceful  thing  on  'airth  is  a  paupe" — 
so  Ithuel  pronounced  "  pauper"  —  "the  next  is  a  street  beg 
gar  ;  after  him  comes  your  chaps  who  take  sixpences  and 
shillin's,  in  the  way  of  small  gifts ;  and  last  of  all  an  Eng«- 
lishman.  All  these  I  despise ;  but  let  this  Signore  say  but 
the  word,  in  the  way  of  trade,  and  he  '11  find  me  as  ready 
and  expairt  as  he  can  wish.  I  'd  defy  the  devil  in  a  trade  !" 

Filippo  shook  his  head,  positively  declining  to  do  so  foolish 
a  thing  as  to  mention  a  contraband  article  to  those  whose 
duty  it  would  be  to  punish  a  violation  of  the  revenue  laws. 
In  the  meanwhile  the  sequins  remained  in  the  hands  of  An 
drea  Barrofaldi,  who  seemed  greatly  at  a  loss  to  understand 
the  character  of  the  strange  being  whom  chance  had  thus 
thrown  in  his  way.  The  money  was  returned  to  his  purse, 
but  his  distrust  and  doubts  were  by  no  means  removed* 

"  Answer  me  one  thing,  Signor  Bolto,"  asked  the  vice- 
govcrnatore,  after  a  minute  of  thought ;  "  if  you  hate  the 
English  so  much,  why  do  you  serve  in  their  ships  ?  —  why 
not  quit  them,  on  the  first  good  occasion  ?  The  land  is  as 
wide  as  the  sea,  and  you  must  be  often  on  it." 

"  I  calculate,  Signer  Squire,  you  don't  often  study  charts, 
or  you  wouldn't  fall  into  such  a  consait.  There  's  twice  as 
much  water  as  solid  ground,  on  this  'airth,  to  begin  with  ;  as 
in  reason  there  ought  to  be,  seeing  that  an  acre  of  good 
productive  land  is  worth  five  or  six  of  oceans  ;  and  then  you 
have  little  knowledge  of  my  character  and  prospects  to  ask 


68  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

such  a  question.  I  sarve  the  king  of  England  to  make  him 
pay  well  for  it.  If  you  want  to  take  an  advantage  of  a 
man,  first  get  him  in  debt ;  then  you  can  work  your  will  on 
him,  in  the  most  profitable  and  safe  manner !" 

All  this  was  unintelligible  to  the  vice-governatore,  who, 
after  a  few  more  questions  and  answers,  took  a  civil  leave 
of  the  strangers,  intimating  to  Benedetta  that  tj|ey  were  not 
to  follow  him  back  into  the  room  he  had  just  quitted. 

As  for  Ithuel,  the  disappearance  of  the  two  gentlemen 
gave  him  no  concern ;  but  as  he  felt  that  it  might  be  unsafe 
to  drink  any  more  wine,  he  threw  down  his  reckoning,  and 
strolled  into  the  street,  followed  by  his  companion.  Within 
an  hour  from  that  moment,  the  three  kegs  of  tobacco  were 
in  the  possession  of  a  shop-keeper  of  the  place,  that  brief 
interval  sufficing  to  enable  the  man  to  make  his  bargain,  and 
to  deliver  the  articles,  which  was  his  real  object  on  shore. 
This  little  smuggling  transaction  was  carried  on  altogether 
without  the  knowledge  of  Raoul  Yvard,  who  was  to  all 
intents  and  purposes  the  captain  of  his  own  lugger,  and  in 
whose  character  there  were  many  traits  of  chivalrous  honour, 
mixed  up  with  habits  and  pursuits  that  would  not  seem  to 
promise  qualities  so  elevated.  But  this  want  of  a  propensity 
to  turn  a  penny  in  his  own  way,  was  not  the  only  distin 
guishing  characteristic  between  the  commander  of  the  little 
craft,  and  the  being  he  occasionally  used  as  a  mask  to  hia 
true  purposes. 


CHAPTER  V. 

tt  The  great  contention  of  the  sea  and  skies 
Parted  our  fellowship :  —  But,  hark  !  a  sail." 

Cassio. 

WHATEVER  may  have  been  the  result  of  the  vice-gover 
natore's  further  inquiries  and  speculations,  that  night,  they 
were  not  known.  After  consuming  an  hour  in  the  lower 
oart  of  the  town,  in  and  around  the  port,  he  and  the  podesla 
sought  their  homes  and  their  pillows,  leaving  the  lugger 
riding  quietly  at  her  anchor,  in  the  spot  where  she  was  last 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  09 

presented  to  the  reader's  attention.  If  Raoul  Yvard  and 
Ghita  had  another  interview,  too,  it  was  so  secretly  managed 
as  to  escape  all  observation,  and  can  form  no  part  of  this 


A  Mediterranean  morning,  at  midsummer,  is  one  of  those 
bdlmy  and  soothing  periods  of  the  day,  that  affect  the  mind 
as  well  as  the  body.  Everywhere  we  have  the  mellow  and 
advancing  light  that  precedes  the  appearance  of  the  sun  — 
the  shifting  hues  of  the  sky  —  that  pearly  softness  that  seems 
to  have  been  invented  to  make  us  love  the  works  of  God's 
hand,  and  the  warm  glow  of  the  brilliant  sun;  but,  it  is  not 
everywhere  that  these  fascinating  changes  occur,  on  a  sea 
whose  blue  vies  with  the  darkest  depths  of  the  void  of  soace, 
beneath  a  climate  that  is  as  winning  as  the  scenes  it  adorns, 
and  amid  mountains  whose  faces  reflect  every  varying  shade 
of  light,  with  the  truth  and  the  poetry  of  nature.  Such  a 
morning  as  this  last,  was  that  which  succeeded  the  night 
with  which  our  tale  opened,  bringing  with  it  the  reviving 
movements  of  the  port  and  town.  Italy,  as  a  whole,  is 
remarkable  for  an  appearance  of  quiet  and  repose,  that  are 
little  known  in  the  more  bustling  scenes  of  the  greedier 
commerce  of  our  own  quarter  of  the  world,  or,  indeed,  in 
those  of  most  of  the  northern  nations  of  Europe.  There  is 
in  her  aspect,  modes  of  living,  and  even  in  her  habits  of 
business,  an  air  of  decayed  gentility,  that  is  wanting  to  the 
ports,  shops,  and  marts  of  the  more  vulgar  parts  of  the  world  ; 
as  if  conscious  of  having  been  so  long  the  focus  of  human 
refinement,  it  was  unbecoming,  in  these  later  days,  to  throw 
aside  all  traces  of  her  history  and  power.  Man,  and  the 
climate,  too,  seem  in  unison  ;  one  meeting  the  cares  of  life 
with  a  far  niente  manner,  that  is  singularly  in  accordance 
with  the  dreamy  and  soothing;  atmosphere  he  respires. 

Just  as  day  dawned,  the  fall  of  a  billet  of  wood,  on  the 
deck  of  the  Feu-Follet,  gave  the  first  intimation  that  iny 
one  was  stirring  in  or  near  the  haven.  If  there  had  been  a 
watch  on  board  that  craft,  throughout  the  night  —  and  doubt 
less  such  had  been  the  case  —  it  had  been  kept  in  so  quief 
and  unobtrusive  a  manner,  as  to  render  it  questionable  to 
the  jealous  eyes  which  had  been  riveted  on  her  from  the 
shorn,  until  long  past  midnight.  Now,  however,  everything 
was  in  motion,  and  in  less  than  five  minutes  after  that  billet 


70  LEFEU-FOLLKT. 

of  wood  had  fallen  from  the  hands  of  the  cook,  as  he  was 
about  to  light  his  galley-fire,  the  tops  of  the  hats  and  caps  of 
some  fifty  or  sixty  sailors  were  seen  moving  to  and  fro,  just 
above  the  upper  edge  of  the  bulwarks.  Three  minutes  later, 
and  two  men  appeared  near  the  knight-heads,  each  with  his 
arms  folded,  looking  at  the  vessel's  hawse,  arid  taking  a 
survey  of  the  state  of  the  harbour,  and  of  objects  on  the  sui> 
rounding  shore. 

The  two  individuals  who  were  standing  in  the  conspicuous 
position  named,  were  Raoul  Yvard,  himself,  and  Ithuel  Bolt. 
Their  conversation  was  in  French,  the  part  borne  by  the 
last  being  most  execrably  pronounced,  and  paying  little  or 
no  attention  to  grammar ;  but,  it  is  necessary  that  we  should 
render  what  was  said  by  both  into  the  vernacular,  with  the 
peculiarities  that  belonged  to  the  men. 

"  I  see  only  the  Austrian  that  is  worth  the  trouble  of  a 
movement,"  quietly  observed  Raoul,  whose  eye  was  scan 
ning  the  inner  harbour,  his  own  vessel  lying  two  hundred 
yards  without  it,  it  will  be  remembered — "  and  she  is  light, 
and  would  scarce  pay  for  sending  her  to  Toulon.  These 
feluccas  would  embarrass  us,  without  affording  much  reward, 
and  then  their  loss  would  ruin  the  poor  devils  of  owners,  and 
bring  misery  into  many  a  family." 

"  Well,  that 's  a  new  idee,  for  a  privateer !"  said  Ithuel 
sneeringly  ;  "  luck  's  luck,  in  these  matters,  and  every  man 
must  count  on  what  war  turns  up.  I  wish  you  'd  read  the 
history  of  our  revolution,  and  then  you  'd  ha'  seen  that 
liberty  and  equality  are  not  to  be  had  without  some  ups  and 
downs  in  fortin's  and  chances." 

1  *  The  Austrian  might  do,"  added  Raoul,  who  paid  little 
attention  to  his  companion's  remarks,  "  if  he  were  a  streak 
or  two  lower  in  the  water — but,  after  all,  E-too-eZZ,"  for  so 
he  pronounced  the  other's  name  —  "  I  do  not  like  a  capture 
that  is  made  without  any  eclat,  or  spirit,  in  the  attack  and 
defence." 

"  Well,"  —  this  word  Ithuel  invariably  pronounced, 
"  wa-a-1"  —  "  well,  to  my  notion,  the  most  profitable  and 
the  most  agreeable  battles,  are  the  shortest ;  and  the  pleasant- 
est  victories  are  them  in  which  there's  the  most  prize-money. 
Hovvsrver,  as  that  brig  is  only  an  Austrian,  I  care  little  what 
you  may  detairmine  to  do  with  her ;  was  she  English,  I  'd 


LE     PEU-FOLLET.  71 

head  a  boat  myself,  to  go  in  and  tow  her  out  here,  expressly 
to  have  the  satisfaction  of  burning  her.  English  ships  make 
a  cheerful  fire  !" 

"  And  that  would  be  a  useless  waste  of  property,  and  per- 
haps  of  blood,  and  would  do  no  one  any  good,  EtooeZZ." 

"  But  it  would  do  the  accursed  English  harm,  and  that 
counts  for  a  something,  in  my  reckoning.  Nelson  wasn't  so 
over-scrupulous,  at  the  Nile,  about  burning  your  ships,  Mr. 
Rule—" 

"  Tonnere  !  why  do  you  always  bring  in  that  malheureux 
Nile  ? — Is  it  not  enough  that  we  were  beaten; — disgraced — 
destroyed — that  a  friend  must  tell  us  of  it  so  often  1" 

"  You  forget,  Mr.  Rule,  that  I  was  an  inimy,  then  /"  re 
turned  Ithuel,  with  a  grin  and  a  grim  smile.  "  If  you  '11 
take  the  trouble  to  examine  my  back,  you  '11  find  on  it  the 
marks  of  the  lashes  I  got  for  just  telling  my  captain  that  it 
went  ag'in  the  grain  for  me,  a  republican  as  I  was  by  idee 
and  natur',  to  fight  other  republicans.  He  told  me  he  would 
first  try  the  grain  of  my  skin,  and  see  how  that  would  agree 
with  what  he  called  my  duty ;  and  I  must  own,  he  got  the 
best  on  't ;  I  fit  like  a  tiger  ag'in  you,  rather  than  be  flogged 
twice  the  same  day.  Flogging  on  a  sore  back  is  an  awful 
argument !" 

"  And  now  has  come  the  hour  of  revenge,  pauvre  Etooell; 
this  time  you  are  on  the  right  side,  and  may  fight  with  heart 
and  mind  those  you  so  much  hate." 

A  long  and  gloomy  silence  followed,  during  which  Raoul 
turned  his  face  aft,  and  stood  looking  at  the  movements  of 
the  men,  as  they  washed  the  decks,  while  Ithuel  seated  him 
self  on  a  knight-head,  and,  his  chin  resting  on  his  hand,  he 
sat  ruminating,  in  bitterness  of  spirit,  like  Milton's  devil,  in 
some  of  his  dire  cogitations,  on  the  atrocious  wrong  of 
which  he  had  really  been  the  subject.  Bodies  of  men  are 
proverbially  heartless.  They  commit  injustice  without  reflec 
tion,  and  vindicate  their  abuses  without  remorse.  And  yet 
it  may  be  doubtful  if  either  a  nation,  or  an  individual,  ever 
tolerated,  or  was  an  accessary  in,  a  wrong,  that  the  act 
sooner  or  later  did  not  recoil  on  the  offending  party,  through 
that  mysterious  principle  of  right,  which  is  implanted  in  the 
nature  of  things,  bringing  forth  its  own  results  as  the  seed 
produces  its  grain,  and  the  tree  its  fruits ;  a  supervision  of 


72  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

holiness  that  it  is  usual  to  term  (and  rightly  enough,  when 
we  remember  who  created  principles)  the  providence  of  God. 
Let  that  people  dread  the  future,  who,  in  their  collected 
capacity,  systematically  encourage  injustice  of  any  sort ; 
since  their  own  eventual  demoralization  will  follow  as  a 
necessary  consequence,  even  though  they  escape  punishment 
in  a  more  direct  form. 

We  shall  not  stop  to  relate  the  moody  musings  of  the 
New-Hampshire  man.  Unnurtured,  and,  in  many  respects, 
unprincipled  as  he  was,  he  had  his  clear  conceptions  of  the 
injustice  of  which  he  had  been  one,  among  thousands  of 
other  victims ;  and,  at  that  moment,  he  would  have  held  life 
itself  as  a  cheap  sacrifice,  could  he  have  had  his  fill  of  re 
venge.  Time  and  again,  while  a  captive  on  board  the 
English  ship  in  which  he  had  been  immured  for  years,  had 
he  meditated  the  desperate  expedient  of  blowing  up  the  ves 
sel  ;  and  had  not  the  means  been  wanting,  mercenary  and 
selfish  as  he  ordinarily  seemed,  he  was  every  way  equal  to 
executing  so  dire  a  scheme,  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  the 
lives  of  those  who  were  the  agents  in  wronging  him,  and  his 
own  sufferings,  together.  The  subject  never  recurred  to  his 
mind,  without  momentarily  changing  the  current  of  its 
thoughts,  and  tinging  all  his  feelings  with  an  intensity  of 
bitterness  that  it  was  painful  to  bear.  At  length,  sighing 
heavily,  he  rose  from  the  knight-head,  and  turned  towards 
the  mouth  of  the  bay,  as  if  to  conceal  from  Raoul  the  ex 
pression  of  his  countenance.  This  act,  however,  was 
scarcely  done,  ere  he  started,  and  an  exclamation  escaped 
him,  that  induced  his  companion  to  turn  quickly  on  his  heel, 
and  face  the  sea.  There,  indeed,  the  growing  light  enabled 
both  to  discover  an  object  that  could  scarcely  be  other  than 
one  of  interest  to  men  in  their  situation. 

It  has  been  said  already,  that  the  deep  bay,  on  the  side  of 
which  stands  the  town  of  Porto  Ferrajo,  opens  to  the  north, 
looking  in  the  direction  of  the  headland  of  Piombino.  On 
the  right  of  the  bay,  the  land,  high  and  broken,  stretches 
several  miles  ere  it  forms  what  is  called  the  Canal,  while  on 
the  left,  it  terminates  with  the  low  bluff  on  which  stands  the 
residence  then  occupied  by  Andrea  Barrofaldi ;  and  which 
has  since  become  so  celebrated  as  the  abode  of  one  far 
greater  than  the  worthy  vice-governatore.  The  haven  lying 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  73 

under  these  heights,  on  the  left  of  the  bay,  and  by  the  SUK.- 
cf  the  town,  it  followed,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  the 
anchorage  of  the  lugger  was  also  in  this  quarter  of  the  bay, 
commanding  a  clear  view  to  the  north,  in  the  direction  of 
the  main  land,  as  far  as  eye  could  reach.  The  width  of  the 
Canal,  or  of  the  passage  between  Elba  and  the  Point  of 
Piombino,  may  be  some  six  or  seven  miles ;  and  at  the  dis 
tance  of  less  than  one  mile  from  the  northern  end  of  the 
former,  stands  a  small  rocky  islet,  which  has  since  become 
known  to  the  world  as  the  spot  on  which  Napoleon  stationed 
a  corporal's  guard,  by  way  of  taking  possession,  when  he 
found  his  whole  empire  dwindled  to  the  sea-girt  mountains 
in  its  vicinity.  With  the  existence  and  position  of  this 
island,  both  Raoul  and  Ithuel  were  necessarily  acquainted, 
for  they  had  seen  it  and  noted  its  situation  the  previous 
night,  though  it  had  escaped  their  notice  that,  from  the  place 
where  the  Feu-Follet  had  brought  up,  it  was  not  visible.  In 
their  first  look  to  seaward,  that  morning,  which  was  ere  the 
light  had  grown  sufficiently  strong  to  render  the  houses  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  bay  distinct,  an  object  had  been  seen 
in  this  quarter,  which  had  then  been  mistaken  for  the  rock  ; 
but,  by  this  time,  the  light  was  strong  enough  to  show  that 
it  was  a  very  different  thing.  In  a  word,  that  which  both 
Raoul  and  Ithuel  had  fancied  an  islet,  was  neither  more  nor 
less  than  a  ship. 

The  stranger's  head  was  to  the  northward,  and  his  mo 
tion,  before  a  light  southerly  air,  could  not  have  exceeded  a 
knot  an  hour.  He  had  no  other  canvass  spread  than  his 
three  topsails  and  jib ;  though  his  courses  were  hanging  in 
the  brails.  His  black  hull  was  just  beginning  to  show  its 
details  ;  and  along  the  line  of  light-yellow,  that  enlivened  his 
side,  were  visible  the  dark  intervals  of  thirteen  ports ;  a  real 
gun  frowning  in  eac  i.  Although  the  hammocks  were  not 
stowed,  and  the  hammock-cloths  had  that  empty  and  un 
dressed-look  which  is  so  common  to  a  man-of-war  in  the 
night,  it  was  apparent  that  the  ship  had  an  upper-deck,  with 
quarter-deck  and  forecastle  batteries ;  or,  in  other  words, 
that  she  was  a  frigate.  As  she  had  opened  the  town  of  Porto 
Ferrajo  several  minutes  before  she  was  herself  seen  from  the 
Feu-Follet.  an  ensign  was  hanging  from  the  end  of  her  gaff, 


74  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

though  there  was  not  sufficient  air  to  open  its  folds,  in  a  way 
to  let  the  national  character  of  the  stranger  be  known. 

"  Peste !"  exclaimed  Raoul  Yvard,  as  soon  he  had  gazed 
a  minute  at  the  stranger,  in  silence — :"  a  pretty  cul  de  sac 
are  we  in,  if  that  gentleman  should  happen  to  be  an  English 
man  !  What  say  you,  Etooell ;  can  you  make  out  any- 
thing  of  that  ensign — your  eyes  are  the  best  in  the  lugger  ?" 

*'  It  is  too  much  for  any  sight  to  detairmine,  at  this  dis 
tance,  and  that  before  the  sun  is  risen ;  but,  by  having  a 
glass  ready,-  we  shall  soon  know.  Five  minutes  will  bring 
us  the  Great  Luminary,  as  our  minister  used  to  call  him." 

Ithuel  had  descended  from  the  bulwark,  while  speaking ; 
and  he  now  went  ail  in  quest  of  a  glass,  returning  to  his  old 
station,  bringing  two  of  the  instruments ;  one  of  which  he 
handed  to  his  commander,  while  he  kept  the  other  himself. 
In  another  minute  both  had  levelled  their  glasses  at  the 
stranger,  whom  each  surveyed  attentively,  for  some  time,  in 
profound  silence. 

"  Par  die!"  exclaimed  Raoul,  "that  ensign  is  the  tri 
color,  or  my  eyes  are  untrue  to  my  own  country.  Let  me 
see,  Etooell,  what  ship  of  forty-two,  or  forty-four,  has  the 
republic  on  this  coast  ?" 

"  Not  that,  Monsieur  Yvard,"  answered  Ithuel,  with  a 
manner  so  changed,  and  an  emphasis  so  marked,  as  at  once 
to  draw  his  companion's  attention  from  the  frigate  to  his  own 
countenance  ;  "  not  that,  Monsieur  Capitaing.  It  is  not  easy 
for  a  bird  to  forget  the  cage  in  which  he  was  shut  up  for 
two  years ;  if  that  is  not  the  accursed  Proserpine,  I  have 
forgotten  the  cut  of  my  own  jib  !" 

"  La  Proserpine  !"  repeated  Raoul,  who  was  familiar  with 
his  shipmate's  adventures,  and  did  not  require  to  be  told  his 
meaning;  "  if  you  are  not  mistaken,  Etooell,  le  Feu-Follec 
needs  put  her  lantern  under  a  shade.  This  is  only  a  forty, 
if  I  can  count  her  ports." 

"I  care  nothing  for  ports,  or  guns ;  it  is  the  Proserpine  ; 
and  the  only  harm  I  wish  her  is,  that  she  were  at  the  bot 
tom  of  the  ocean.  The  Proserpine,  thirty-six,  Captain  Cuffe , 
though  Captain  Flog  would  have  been  a  better  name  for  him. 
Yes,  the  Proserpine,  thirty-six,  Captain  Cuffe,  Heaven  bless 
hor'" 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  75 

"  Bah  !  —  this  vessel  has  forty-four  guns — now  1  can  seo 
to  count  them;  I  make  twenty-two  of  a  side." 

"Ay,  that's  just  her  measure  —  a  thirty-six  on  the  list 
and  by  rate,  and  forty-four  by  count;  twenty-six  long 
eighteens  below;  twelve  thirty-two's,  carronades,  on  her 
quarter-deck  ;  and  four  more  carronades,  with  two  barkers, 
for'ard.  She'd  just  extinguish  your  Jack-o'Lantern,  Mon 
sieur  Rule,  at  one  broadside ;  for  what  are  ten  twelve-pound 
carronades,  and  seventy  men,  to  such  a  frigate  ?" 

"  I  am  not  madman  enough,  Etooell,  to  dream  of  fighting 
a  frigate,  or  even  a  heavy  sloop-of-war,  with  the  force  you 
have  just  mentioned  ;  but  I  have  followed  the  sea  too  long  to 
be  alarmed  before  I  am  certain  of  my  danger.  La  Rail- 
leuse  is  just  such  a  ship  as  that." 

"  Hearken  to  reason,  Monsieur  Rule,"  answered  Ithuel, 
earnestly ;  "  La  Railleuse,  nor  no  other  French  frigate, 
would  show  her  colours  to  an  enemy's  port ;  for  it  would  be 
uselessly  telling  her  errand.  Now,  an  English  ship  might 
show  a  French  ensign,  for  she  always  has  it  in  her  power 
to  change  it ;  and  then  she  might  be  benefited  by  the  cheat. 
The  Proserpine  is  French  built,  and  has  French  legs,  too, 
boots  or  no  boots"  —  here  Ithuel  laughed  a  little,  involun 
tarily,  but  his  face  instantly  became  serious  again  —  "and 
I  have  heard  she  was  a  sister  vessel  of  the  other.  So  much 
for  size  and  appearance  ;  but  every  shroud,  and  port,  and 
sail,  about  yonder  craft,  is  registered  on  my. back  in  a  way 
that  no  sponge  will  ever  wash  out." 

"  Sa-a-c-r-r-r-e,"  muttered  Raoul  between  his  teeth ; 
"Etooell,  if  an  Englishman,  he  may  very  well  take  it  into 
his  head  to  come  in  here,  and  perhaps  anchor  within  half-a- 
cable's  length  of  us!  What  think  you  of  that,  mon  brave 
Americain  ?"  .  i 

"  That  it  may  very  well  come  to  pass  ;  though  one  hardly 
sees,  either,  what  is  to  bring  a  cruiser  into  such  a  place  as 
this.  Every  one  hasn't  the  curiosity  of  a  Jack-o'Lantern." 

"  Mais  que  diable  allait-il  faire  dans  cette  galcre  !  — 
Bien ;  we  must  take  the  weather  as  it  comes  ;  sometimes 
a  gale,  and  sometimes  a  calm.  As  he  shows  his  own  en 
sign  so  loyally,  let  us  return  the  compliment,  and  show  ours. 
Hoist  the  ensign  there,  aft." 

"  Which   one,    Monsieur  ?"   demanded  an   old   demure- 


76  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

looking  quarter-master,  who  was  charged  with  that  duty 
and  who  was  never  known  to  laugh ;  "  the  captain  will 
remember  we  came  into  port  under  the  drapeau  oPMonsieur 
Jean  Bull." 

"  Bien — hoist  the  drapeau  "of  Monsieur  Jean  Bull,  again. 
We  must  brazen  it  out,  now  we  have  put  on  the  masque. 
Monsieur  Lieutenant,  clap  on  the  hawser,  and  run  the  lug 
ger  ahead,  over  her  anchor,  and  see  everything  clear  for 
spreading  our  pocket-handkerchiefs.  No  one  knows  when 
le  Feu-Follet  may  have  occasion  to  wipe  her  face.  —  Ah !  — 
now,  Etooell,  we  can  make  out  his  broadside  fairly,  he  is 
heading  more  to  the  westward." 

The  two  seamen  levelled  their  glasses,  and  renewed  their 
examinations.  Ithuel  had  a  peculiarity  that  not  only  charac 
terized  the  man,  but,  which  is  so  common  among  Americans 
of  his  class,  as,  in  a  sense,  to  be  national.  On  ordinary  occa 
sions  he  was  talkative,  and  disposed  to  gossip  ;  but,  whenever 
action  and  decision  became  necessary,  he  was  thoughtful, 
silent,  and,  though  in  a  way  of  his  own,  even  dignified.  This 
last  fit  was  on  him,  and  he  waited  for  Raoul  to  lead  the 
conversation.  The  other,  however,  was  disposed  to  be  as 
reserved  as  himself,. for  he  quitted  the  knight-head,  and  took 
refuge  from  the  splashing  of  the  water,  used  in  washing  the 
decks,  in  his  own  cabin. 

Two  hours,  though  they  brought  the  sun,  with  the  activity 
and  hum  of  the  morning,  had  made  no  great  change  in  the 
relative  positions  of  things  within  and  without  the  bay.  The 
people  of  le  Feu-Follet  had  breakfasted,  had  got  everything 
on  board  their  little  craft  in  its  proper  place,  and  were  moody, 
observant  and  silent.  One  of  the  lessons  that  Ithuel  had 
succeeded  in  teaching  his  shipmates,  was  to  impress  on  them 
he  necessity  of  commanding1  their  voluble  propensities,  if 
they  would  wish  to  pass  for  Englishmen.  It  is  certain,  more 
words  would  have  been  uttered,  in  this  little  lugger,  in  one 
hour,  had  her  crew  been  indulged  to  the  top  of  their  bent, 
than  would  have  been  uttered  in  an  English  first-rate,  in 
two  ;  but  the  danger  of  using  their  own  language,  and  the 
English  peculiarity  of  grumness,  had  been  so  thoroughly 
taught  them,  that  her  people  rather  caricatured,  than  other 
wise,  ce  grand  talent  pour  le  silence,  that  was  thought  to 
distinguish  their  enemies.  Ithuel,  who  had  a  waggery  of  his 


LEFEU-POLLET.  77 

own,  smiled  as  he  saw  the  seamen  folding  their  arms,  throw- 
aig  discontent  and  surliness  into  their  countenances,  and 
pacing  the  deck  singly,  as  if  misanthropical  and  disdaining 
to  converse,  whenever  a  boat  came  alongside  from  the  shore. 
Several  of  these  visitors  arrived,  in  the  course  of  the  two 
hours  mentioned ;  but  the  sentinel  at  the  gangway,  who  had 
his  orders,  repulsed  every  attempt  to  come  on  board,  pre 
tending  not  to  understand  F.vench,  when  permission  was 
asked  in  that  language. 

Raoul  had  a  boat's  crew  of  four,  all  of  whom  had  acquired 
the  English,  like  himself,  in  a  prison-ship,  and  with  these 
men  he  now  prepared  to  land ;  for,  as  yet,  he  had  made 
little  progress  in  the  business  which  brought  him  into  his 
present  awkward  predicament,  and  he  was  not  a  man  to 
abandon  an  object  so  dear  to  him,  lightly.  Finding  himself 
in  a  dilemma,  he  was  resolved  to  make  an  effort  to  reap,  if 
possible,  some  advantage  from  his  critical  situation.  Accord 
ingly,  after  he  had  taken  his  coffee,  and  given  his  orders, 
the  boat's  crew  was  called,  and  he  left  the  lugger's  side. 
All  this  was  done  tranquilly,  as  if  the  appearance  of  the 
stranger  in  the  offing  gave  no  trouble  to  any  in  le  Feu- 
Follet. 

On  this  occasion,  the  boat  pulled  boldly  into  the  little 
harbour,  its  officer  touching  the  shore  at  the  common  land 
ing.  Nor  were  the  men  in  any  haste  to  return.  They 
lounged  about  the  quay,  in  waiting  for  their  captain,  cheapen 
ing  fruits,  chatting  with  the  women,  in  such  Italian  as  they 
could  muster,  and  affecting  to  understand  the  French  of  the 
old  sea-dogs  that  drew  near  them,  all  of  whom  knew  more  or 
less  of  that  universal  language,  with  difficulty.  That  they 
were  the  objects  of  suspicion.  *heir  captain  had  sufficiently 
warned  them,  and  practice  rendered  them  all  good  actors. 
The  tune  they  remained  in  waiting  for  Raoul,  was  conse 
quently  spent  in  eluding  attempts  to  induce  them  to  betray 
themselves,  and  'in  caricaturing  Englishmen.  Two  of  the 
four  folded  their  arms,  endeavoured  to  look  surly,  and 
paced  the  quay  in  silence,  refusing  even  to  unbend  to  the 
blandishments  of  the  gentler  sex,  three  or  four  of  whom 
endeavoured  to  insinuate  themselves  into  their  confide  ic<?, 
by  offerings  of  fruit  and  flowers. 

"  Amico,"  said  Annunziate,  one  of  the  prettiest  girls  of 
7* 


78  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

her  class  in  Porto  Ferrajo,  and  who  had  been  expressly 
employed  by  Vito  Viti  to  perform  this  office,  "  here  are  figs 
from  the  main-land.  Will  you  please  to  eat  a  few,  that 
when  you  go  back  to  Inghilterra,  you  may  tell  your  country 
men  how  we  poor  Eibans  live  T' 

"Bad  fig"  —  sputtered  Jacques,  Raoul's  cockswain,  to 
whom  this  offering  was  made,  and  speaking  in  broken  Eng 
lish  ;  "  better  at  'ome.  Pick  up  better  in  ze  street  of  Ports 
mouth  !" 

"  But,  Signore,  you  need  not  look  as  if  they  would  hurt 
you.  or  bite  you  ;  you  can  eat  them,  and,  take  my  word  for 
it,  you  will  find  them  as  pleasant  as  the  melons  of  Napoli." 

"No  melon  good,  but  English  melon.  English  melon 
plenty  as  pomme  de  terres  —  bah  !" 

"  Yes,  Signore,  as  the  melons  of  Napoli,"  continued  An- 
nunziate,  who  did  not  understand  a  syllable  of  the  ungra 
cious  answers  she  received  ;  "  Signer  Vito  Viti,  our  podestA, 
ordered  me  to  offer  these  figs  to  the  forestieri  —  the  Inglesi, 
who  are  in  the  bay — " 

"  God-dam,"  returned  Jacques,  in  a  quick,  sententious 
manner,  that  was  intended  to  get  rid  of  the  fair  tormentor, 
and  which,  temporarily,  at  least,  was  not  without  its  effect.  - 

But,  leaving  the  boat's  crew  to  be  badgered  in  this  man 
ner,  until  relief  came,  as  will  be  hereafter  related,  we  must 
follow  our  hero  in  his  way  through  the  streets  of  the  town. 
Raoul,  guided  by  an  instinct,  or  having  some  special  object 
before  his  eyes,  walked  swiftly  up  the  heights,  ascending  to 
the  promontory,  so  often  mentioned.  As  he  passed,  every 
eye  was  turned  on  him,  for,  by  this  time,  the  distrust  in  the 
place  was  general ;  and  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  frigate, 
wearing  a  French  ensign,  before  the  port,  had  given  rise  to 
apprehensions  of  a  much  more  serious  nature  than  any  which 
could  possibly  attend  the  arrival  of  a  craft  as  light  as  the 
lugger,  by  herself.  Vito  Viti  had  long  before  gone  up  the 
street,  to  see  the  vice-governatore ;  and  eight  or  ten  of  the 
principal  men  of  the  place  had  been  summoned  to  a  council, 
including  the  two  senior  military  dignitaries  of  the  island. 
The  batteries,  it  was  known,  were  manned ;  and,  although 
it  would  have  puzzled  the  acutest  mind  of  Elba  to  give  a 
reason  why  the  French  should  risk  so  unprofitable  an  attack, 
as  one  on  their  principal  port,  long  ere  Raoul  was  seen 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  79 

among  them,  such  a  result  was  not  only  dreaded,  but,  in  a 
measure,  anticipated  with  confidence.  As  a  matter  of  course, 
then,  every  eye  followed  his  movements,  as  he  went  with 
bounding  steps  up  the  narrow  terraces  of  the  steep  street, 
and  the  least  of  his  actions  was  subjected  to  the  narrowest 
and  most  jealous  scrutiny. 

The  heights  were  again  thronged  with  spectators,  of  all 
ages  and  classes,  and  of  both  sexes.  The  mantles  and  flow 
ing  dresses-  of  females  prevailed  as  usual ;  for  whatever  is 
connected  with  curiosity,  is  certain  to  collect  an  undue  pro 
portion  of  a  sex  whose  imaginations  are  so  apt  to  get  the 
start  of  their  judgments.  On  a  terrace,  in  front  of  the  palace, 
as  it  was  the  custom  to  designate  the  dwelling  of  the  gover 
nor,  was  the  group  of  magnates,  all  of  them  paying  the 
gravest  attention  to  the  smallest  change  in  the  direction  of 
the  ship,  which  had  now  become  an  object  of  general  solici 
tude  and  apprehension.  So  intent,  indeed,  were  they  in 
gazing  at  this  apprehended  enemy,  that  Raoul  stood  in  front 
of  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  cap  in  hand,  and  bowing  his  saluta 
tion,  before  his  approach  was  even  anticipated.  This  sudden 
and  unannounced  arrival  created  great  surprise,  and  some 
little  confusion;  one  or  two  of  the  group  turning  away, 
instinctively,  as  it  might  be,  to  conceal  the  flushes  that 
mounted  to  their  cheeks,  at  being  so  unexpectedly  confronted 
by  the  very  man,  whom,  the  minute  before,  they  had  been 
strongly  denouncing. 

"Bon  giorno,  Signer  Vice-governatore,"  commenced 
Raoul,  in  his  gay,  easy  and  courteous  manner,  and  certainly 
with  an  air  that  betrayed  any  feeling  but  those  of  apprehen 
sion  and  guilt ;  "  we  have  a  fine  morning,  on  the  land,  here  ; 
and  apparently  a  fine  frigate,  of  the  French  republic,  in  the 
offing,  yonder." 

"  We  were  conversing  of  that  vessel,  Signer  Smees," 
answered  Andrea,  "  as  you  approached.  What,  in  your 
judgment,  can  induce  a  Frenchman  to  appear  before  our 
town,  in  so  menacing  a  manner  ?" 

"  Cospetto  !  —  you  might  as  well  ask  me,  Signore,  what 
induces  these  republicans  to  do  a  thousand  other  out-of-the- 
way  things.  What  has  made  them  behead  Louis  XVI.  ? 
What  has  made  them  overrun  half  of  your  Italy ;  conquer 
Egypt,  and  drive  the  Austrians  back  upon  their  Danube  ?" 


SO  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

"  To  say  nothing  of  their  letting  Nelsoni  destroy  them  at 
Aboukir,"  added  Vito  Viti,  with  a  grunt. 

"  True,  Signore,  or  let  Nelson,  my  gallant  countryman, 
dnnihilate  them  near  the  mouth  of  the  Nile.  I  did  not 
consider  it  proper  to  boast  of  English  glory,  though  that 
rase,  too,  may  very  well  be  included.  We  have  several 
men,  in  ze  Ving-And-Ving,  who  were  in  that  glorious  battle, 
particularly  our  sailing-master,  Etooell  Bolt,  who  was  on 
board  Nelson's  own  ship,  having  been  accidentally  sent  on 
service  from  the  frigate  to  which  he  properly  belonged,  and 
carried  off  expressly  to  share,  as  it  might  be,  in  the  glory 
of  this  famous  battle." 

"  I  have  seen  the  Signore,"  drily  remarked  Andrea  Bar- 
rofaldi  —  "  e  uno  Americano  ?"  '  *, 

"  An  American !"  exclaimed  Raoul,  starting  a  little  in 
spite  of  his  assumed  indifference  of  manner ;  "  why,  yes,  I 
believe  Bolt  was  born  in  America  —  English  America,  you 
know,  Signori,  and  that  is  much  the  same  thing  as  having 
been  born  in  England,  herself.  We  look  upon  ze  YanlteSj 
as  but  a  part  of  our  own  people,  and  take  them  into  our 
service  most  cheerfully." 

"SotheSignor  Ituello  has  given  us  reason  to  believe? 
he  is  seemingly  a  great  lover  of  the  English  nation."' 

Raoul  was  uneasy,  for  he  was  entirely  ignorant  of  all 
that  had  passed  in  the  wine-house,  and  he  thought  he  de 
tected  irony  in  the  manner  of  the  vice-governatore. 

"  Certainly,  Signore,"  he  answered,  however,  with  un 
moved  steadiness  ;  "  certainly,  Signore,  the  Americani  adore 
Inghilterra ;  and  well  they  may,  considering  all  that  great 
nation  has  done  for  them.  But,  Signer  Vice-governatore,  I 
have  come  to  offer  you  the  service  of  my  lugger,  should  this 
Frenchman  really  intend  mischief.  We  are  small,  it  is 
true ;  and  our  guns  are  but  light ;  nevertheless  we  may  break 
the  frigate's  cabin-windows,  while  you  are  doing  him  still 
greater  injury,  from  these  heights.  I  trust  you  will  assign 
ze  Ving-And-Ving  some  honourable  station,  should  you 
come  to  blows  with  the  republicans." 

"  And  what  particular  service  would  it  be  most  agreeable 
to  you  to  undertake,  Signore,"  inquired  the  vice-governa 
tore,  with  considerate  courtesy  ;  "  we  are  no  mariners,  and 
must  leave  the  choice  to  yourself.  The  colonello,  here 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  81 

expects  some  firing,  and  has  his  artillerists  already  at  their 
guns." 

"  The  preparation  of  Porto  Ferrajo  is  celebrated  among 
the  mariners  of  the  Mediterranean,  and,  should  the  French 
man  venture  within  reach  of  your  shot,  I  expect  to  see  him 
unrigged  faster  than  if  he  were  in  a  dock-yard.  As  for  ze 
leetP  Ving-And-Ving,  in  my  opinion,  while  the  frigate  is 
busy  with  these  batteries,  it  might  be  well  for  us  to  steer 
along  the  shore  on  the  east  side  of  the  bay,  until  we  can  get 
outside  of  her,  when  we  shall  have  the  beggars  between  two 
fires.  That  was  just  what  Nelson  did  at  Aboukir,  Signer 
Podesta,  a  battle  you  seem  so  much  to  admire." 

"  That  would  be  a  manoeuvre  worthy  of  a  follower  of 
Nelsoni,  Signore,"  observed  the  colonel,  "  if  the  metal  of 
your  guns  were  heavier.  With  short  pieces  of  twelve, 
however,  you  would  hardly  venture  within  reach  of  long 
pieces  of  eighteen;  although  the  first  should  be  manned  by 
Inglese,  and  the  last  by  Franc^ese  ?" 

"  One  never  knows.  At  the  Nile,  one  of  our  fifties  laid 
the  Orient,  a  three-decker,  athwart-hawse,  and  did  her  lots  of 
injury.  The  vaisseau,  in  fact,  was  blown  up.  Naval  com 
bats  are  decided  on  principles  altogether  different  from  en 
gagements  on  the  land,  Signer  Colonello." 

"  It  must  be  so,  truly,"  answered  the  soldier ;  "  but  what 
means  this  movement  1  you,  as  a  seaman,  may  be  able  to 
tell  us,  Capitano." 

This  drew  all  eyes  to  the  frigate  again,  where,  indeed, 
were  movements  that  indicated  some  important  changes. 
As  these  movements  have  an  intimate  connexion  with  the 
incidents  of  the  tale,  it  will  be  necessary  to  relate  them  in  a 
manner  to  render  them  more  intelligible  to  the  reader. 

The  distance  of  the  frigate  from  the  town,  might  now  have 
been  five  English  miles.  Of  current  there  was  none  ;  and 
there  being  no  tides  in  the  Mediterranean,  the  ship  would 
have  lain  perfectly  stationary  all  the  morning,  but  for  a  very 
light  air  from  the  southward.  Before  this  air,  however,  she 
had  moved  to  the  westward  about  a  couple  of  miles,  until 
she  had  got  the  government-house  nearly  abeam.  At  the 
same  time,  she  had  been  obliquely  drawing  nearer,  which 
was  the  circumstance  that  produced  the  alarm.  With  the 
sun  had  arisen  the  wind,  and  a  few  minutes  before  the  colo- 


82  LEFEU-FOL^ET. 

nel  interrupted  himself,  in  the  manner  related,  the  topsails 
of  the  stranger  had  swelled,  and  he  began  to  move  through 
the  water  at  the  rate  of  some  four  or  five  knots  the  hour. 
The  moment  her  people  felt  that  they  had  complete  com 
mand  of  their  vessel,  as  if  waiting  only  for  that  assurance, 
they  altered  her  course,  and  made  sail.  Putting  her  helm 
a-starboard,  the  ship  came  close  by  the  wind,  with  her  head 
looking  directly  in  for  the  promontory,  while  her  tacks  were 
hauled  on  board,  and  her  light  canvass  aloft  was  loosened 
and  spread  to  the  breeze.  Almost  at  the  same  instant,  for 
everything  seemed  to  be  done  at  once,  and  as  by  instinct, 
the  French  flag  was  lowered,  another  went  up  in  its  place, 
and  a  gun  was  fired  to  leeward  —  a  signal  of  amity.  As 
this  second  emblem  of  nationality  blew  out,  and  opened  to 
the  breeze,  the  glasses  showed  the  white  field  and  St.  George's 
cross  of  the  noble  old  ensign  of  England. 

An  exclamation  of  surprise  and  delight,  escaped  the  spec 
tators  on  the  promontory,  as  their  doubts  and  apprehensions 
were  thus  dramatically  relieved.  No  one  thought  of  Raoul 
at  that  happy  moment,  though  to  him  there  was  nothing  of 
new  interest  in  the  affair,  with  the  exception  of  the  apparent 
intention  of  the  stranger  to  enter  the  bay.  As  le  Feu-Follet 
lay  in  plain  view  from  the  offing,  he  had  his  doubts,  indeed, 
whether  the  warlike  appearance  of  that  craft  was  Hot  the 
true  reason  of  this  sudden  change  in  the  frigate's  course. 
Still,  lying  as  he  did,  in  a  port  hostile  to  France,  there  was 
a  probability  that  he  might  yet  escape  without  a  very  criti 
cal  or  close  examination. 

"  Signor  Smees,  I  felicitate  you  on  this  visit  of  a  country 
man,"  cried  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  a  pacific  man  by  nature,  and 
certainly  no  warrior,  and  who  felt  too  happy  at  the  prospects 
of  passing  a  quiet  day,  to  feel  distrust  at  such  a  moment; 
"I  shall  do  you  honour  in  my  communications  with  Flo 
rence,  for  the  spirit  and  willingness  which  you  have  shown 
in  the  wish  to  aid  us,  on  this  trying  occasion." 

"Signor  Vice-governatore,  do  not  trouble  yourself  to 
dwell  on  my  poor  services,"  answered  Raoul,  scarce  caring 
to  conceal  the  smile  that  struggled  about  his  handsome 
mouth  ;  "  think  rather  of  those  of  these  gallant  signori,  who 
greatly  regret  that  an  opportunity  for  gaining  distinction 
has  been  lost.  But  here  are  signals  that  must  be  meant  for 


LEFEU-FOLLE1.  83 

us  —  I  hope  my  stupid  fellows  will  be  able  to  answer  them, 
in  my  absence." 

It  was  fortunate  for  le  Feu-Follet,  perhaps,  that  her  com 
mander  was  not  on  board,  when  the  stranger,  the  Proserpine, 
the  very  ship  that  Ithuel  so  well  knew,  made  her  number. 
The  mystification  that  was  to  follow  was  in  much  better 
hands,  while  conducted  by  the  New-Hampshire  man,  than 
it  could  possibly  be  in  his  own.  Ithuel  answered  promptly, 
though  what,  he  did  not  know  himself;  but  he  took  good  care 
that  the  flags  he  showed  should  become  so  entangled,  as  not 
to  be  read  by  those  in  the  frigate,  while  they  had  every 
appearance  of  being  hoisted  fearlessly,  and  in  good  faith. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


"Are  all  prepared?" 

"They  we —  nay  more  —  embark'd;  the  latest  boat 
Waits  but  my  chief—" 

"My  sword  and  my  capote.1* 

The  CorMir. 

WHAT  success  attended  the  artifice  of  Ithuel,  it  was  im 
possible  to  tell,  so  far  as  the  frigate  was  concerned ;  though 
the  appearance  of  mutual  intelligence  between  the  two  ves 
sels,  had  a  very  favourable  tendency  towards  removing 
suspicion  from  the  lugger,  among  those  on  shore.  It  seemed 
so  utterly  improbable  that  a  French  corsair  could  answer 
the  signals  of  an  English  frigate,  that  even  Vito  Viti  felt 
compelled  to  acknowledge  to  the  vice-governatore,  in  a 
whisper,  that,  so  far,  the  circumstance  was  much  in  favour 
of  the  lugger's  loyalty.  Then  the  calm  exterior  of  Raoul 
counted  for  something,  more  especially  as  he  remained, 
apparently,  an  unconcerned  observer  of  the  rapid  approach 
of  the  ship. 

"We  shall  not  have  occasion  to  use  your  gallant  offer, 
Signor  Smees,"  said  Andrea,  kindly,  as  he  was  about  to 


84  IEFEU-FOLLET. 

retire  into  the  house,  with  one  or  two  of  his  counsellors, 
u  but  we  thank  you  none  the  less.  It  is  a  happiness  to  be 
honoured  with  the  visit  of  two  cruisers  of  your  great  nation 
on  the  same  day,  and  I  hope  you  will  so  far  favour  me  as  to 
accompany  your  brother  commander,  when  he  shall  do  me 
the  honour  to  pay  the  customary  visit,  since  it  would  seem 
to  be  his  serious  intention  to  pay  Porto  Ferrajo  the  compli 
ment  of  a  call.  Can  you  not  guess  at  the  name  of  the 
frigate?" 

"  Now  I  see  she  is  a  countryman,  I  think  I  can,  Signore," 
answered  Raoul,  carelessly ;  "  I  take  her  to  be  la  Proser 
pine,  a  French-built  ship,  a  circumstance  that  first  deceived 
me  as  to  her  character." 

"  And  the  noble  cavaliere,  her  commander — you  doubtless 
know  his  name  and  rank  ?" 

"  Oh  !  perfectly  ;  he  is  the  son  of  an  old  admiral,  under 
whom  I  was  educated,  though  we  happen  ourselves  never  to 
have  met.  Sir  Brown  is  the  name  and  title  of  the  gentle 
man." 

"  Ah !  that  is  a  truly  English  rank,  and  name,  too,  as 
one  might  say.  Often  have  I  met  that  honourable  appella 
tion  in  Shakspeare,  and  other  of  your  eminent  authors. 
Miltoni  has  a  Sir  Brown,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  Signore?" 

"  Several  of  them,  Signor  Vice-governatore,"  answered 
Raoul,  without  a  moment's  hesitation  or  the  smallest  re 
morse  ;  though  he  had  no  idea  whatever  who  Milton  was ; 
'*  Milton,  Shakspeare,  Cicero,  and  all  our  great  writers, 
often  mention  Signori  of  this  family." 

"  Cicero  !"  repeated  Andrea,  in  astonishment — "  he  was 
a  Roman,  and  an  ancient,  Capitano,  and  died  before  Inghil- 
terra  was  known  to  the  civilized  world." 

Raoul  perceived  that  he  had  reached  too  far,  though  he 
was  not  in  absolute  danger  of  losing  his  balance.  Smiling, 
as  in  consideration  of  the  other's  provincial  view  of  things, 
he  rejoined,  with  an  a-plomb  that  would  have  done  credit  to 
a  politician,  in  an  explanatory  and  half-apologetic  tone. 

"  Quite  true,  Signor  Vice-governatore,  as  respects  him 
you  mention,"  he  said ;  "  but  not  true  as  respects  Sir  Cicero, 
my  illustrious  compatriot.  Let  me  see — I  do  not  think  it  is 
yet  a  century  since  our  Cicero  died.  He  was  born  in 
Devonshire" — this  was  the  county  in  which  Raoul  had  been 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  85 

imprisoned — "  and  must  have  died  in  Dublin.  Si  —  now  I 
remember,  it  was  in  Dublin  that  this  virtuous  and  distin 
guished  author  yielded  up  his  breath." 

To  all  this  Andrea  had  nothing  to  say,  for,  half  a  century 
since,  so  great  was  the  ignorance  of  civilized  nations,  as 
related  to  such  things,  that  one  might  have  engrafted  a 
Homer  on  the  literature  of  England,  in  particular,  without 
much  risk  of  having  the  imposition  detected.  Signer  Barro- 
faldi  was  not  pleased  to  find  that  the  barbarians  were  seizing 
on  the  Italian  names,  it  is  true ;  but  he  was  fain  to  set  the 
circumstance  down  to  those  very  traces  of  barbarism,  which 
were  the  unavoidable  fruits  of  their  origin.  As  for  supposing 
it  possible  that  one  who  spoke  with  the  ease  and  innocence 
of  Raoul,  was  inventing  as  he  went  along,  it  was  an  idea 
he  was  himself  much  too  unpractised  to  entertain ;  and  the 
very  first  thing  he  did,  on  entering  the  palace,  was  to  make 
a  memorandum  which  might  lead  him,  at  a  leisure  moment, 
to  inquire  into  the  nature  of  the  writings,  and  the  general 
merits  of  Sir  Cicero,  the  illustrious  namesake  of  him  of 
Rome.  As  soon  as  this  little  digression  terminated,  he 
entered  the  palace,  after  again  expressing  the  hope  that 
"  Sir  Smees"  would  not  fail  to  accompany  "  Sir  Brown,"  in 
the  visit  which  the  functionary  fully  expected  to  receive  from 
the  latter,  in  the  course  of  the  next  hour  or  two.  The  com 
pany  now  began  to  disperse,  and  Raoul  was  soon  left  to  his 
own  meditations  ;  which,  just  at  that  moment,  were  anything 
but  agreeable. 

The  town  of  Porto  Ferrajo  is  so  shut  in  from  the  sea  by 
the  rock  against  which  it  is  built,  its  fortifications,  and  the 
construction  of  its  own  little  port,  as  to  render  the  approach 
of  a  vessel  invisible  to  its  inhabitants,  unless  they  choose  to 
ascend  to  the  heights,  and  the  narrow  promenade  already 
mentioned.  This  circumstance  had  drawn  a  large  crowd 
upon  the  hill,  again ;  among  which  Raoul  Yvard  now 
threaded  his  way,  wearing  his  sea  cap,  and  his  assumed 
naval  uniform,  in  a  smart,  affected  manner,  for  he  was  fully 
sensible  of  all  the  advantages  he  possessed  on  the  score  of 
personal  appearance.  His  unsettled  eye,  however,  wandered 
from  one  pretty  face  to  another,  in  quest  of  Ghita,  who  alone 
was  the  object  of  his  search,  and  the  true  cause  of  the  awk 
ward  predicament  in  which  he  had  brought  not  only  himself, 
8 


86  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

but  le  Feu-Follet.  In  this  manner,  now  thinking  of  her  he 
sought,  and  then  reverting  to  his  situation  in  an  enemy's 
port,  he  walked  along  the  whole  line  of  the  cliff,  scarce 
knowing  whether  to  return,  or  to  seek  his  boat,  by  doubling 
on  the  town,  when  he  heard  his  own  name  pronounced  in 
a  sweet  voice,  which  went  directly  to  his  heart.  Turning 
on  his  heel,  Ghita  was  within  a  few  feet  of  him. 

"  Salute  me  distantly,  and  as  a  stranger,"  said  the  girl,  in 
almost  breathless  haste,  "  and  point  to  the  different  streets, 
as  if  inquiring  your  way  through  the  town.  This  is  the 
place  where  we  met  last  evening ;  but,  remember,  it  is  no 
longer  dark." 

As  Raoul  complied  with  her  desire,  any  distant  spectator 
might  well  have  fancied  the  meeting  accidental,  though  he 
poured  forth  a  flood  of  expressions  of  love  and  admiration. 

"  Enough,  Raoul,"  said  the  girl  blushing,  and  dropping 
her  eyes,  though  no  displeasure  was  visible  on  her  serene 
and  placid  face,  "  another  time  I  might  indulge  you.  How 
much  worse  is  your  situation  now,  than  it  was  last  night ! 
Then  you  had  only  the  port  to  fear ;  now  you  have  both  the 
people  of  the  port  and  this  strange  ship — an  Inglese,  as  they 
tell  me?" 

"  No  doubt — la  Proserpine,  Etooell  says,  and  he  knows  ; 
you  remember  Etooell,  dearest  Ghita,  the  American  who 
was  with  me  at  the  tower — well,  he  has  served  in  this  very 
ship,  and  knows  her  to  be  la  Proserpine,  of  forty-four." 
Raoul  paused  a  moment ;  then  he  added,  laughing  in  a  way 
to  surprise  his  companion — "  Oui — la  Proserpine,  le  Capi- 
taine  Sir  Brown !" 

"  What  you  can  find  to  amuse  you  in  all  this,  Raoul,  is 
more  than  lean  discover.  Sir  Brown,  or  sir  any-body-else, 
will  send  you  again  to  those  evil  English  prison-ships,  of 
which  you  have  so  often  told  me ;  and  there  is  surely  nothing 
pleasant  in  that  idea." 

"  Bah  !  my  sweet  Ghita,  Sir  Brown,  or  Sir  White,  or  Sir 
Black,  has  not  yet  got  me.  I  am  not  a  child,  to  tumble 
into  the  fire  because  the  leading-strings  are  off;  and  le  Feu- 
Follet  shines,  or  goes  out,  exactly  as  it  suits  her  purposes. 
The  frigate,  ten  to  one,  will  just  run  close  in,  and  take  a 
near  look,  and  then  square  away  and  go  to  Livorno,  where 
ihere  is  much  more  to  amuse  her  officers,  than  here,  in  Poito 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  87 

Ferrajo.  This  Sir  Brown  has  his  Ghita,  as  well  as  Raoul 
Yvard." 

"  No,  not  a  Ghita,  I  fear,  Raoul,"  answered  the  girl 
smiling,  spite  of  herself,  while  her  colour  almost  insensibly 
deepened  —  "  Livorno  has  few  ignorant  country  girls,  like 
me,  who  have  been  educated  in  a  lone  watch-tower  on  the 
coast." 

"  Ghita,"  answered  Raoul,  with  feeling,  "  that  poor  lone 
watch-tower  of  thine,  might  well  be  envied  by  many  a  noble 
dame  at  Roma  and  at  Napoli ;  for  it  has  left  thee  innocent 
and  pure  —  a  gem  that  gay  capitals  seldom  contain  ;  or,  if 
found  there,  not  in  its  native  beauty,  which  they  sully  by 
use." 

"  What  know'st  thou,  Raoul,  of  Roma  and  Napoli,  and 
of  noble  dames  and  rich  gems  ?"  asked  the  girl,  smiling, 
the  tenderness  which  had  filled  her  heart  at  that  moment 
betraying  itself  in  her  eyes. 

"  What  do  I  know  of  such  things,  truly !  why,  I  have 
been  at  both  places,  and  have  seen  what  I  describe.  I  went 
to  Roma  on  purpose  to  see  the  Holy  Father,  in  order  to 
make  certain  whether  our  French  opinions  of  his  character 
and  infallibility  were  true,  or  not,  before  I  set  up  in  religion 
for  myself." 

"  And  thou  didst  find  him  holy  and  venerable,  Raoul," 
interposed  the  girl,  with  earnestness  and  energy,  for  this 
was  the  great  point  of  separation  between  them  —  "  I  know 
thou  found'st  him  thus,  and  worthy  to  be  the  head  of  an 
ancient  and  true  church.  My  eyes  never  beheld  him ;  but 
this  do  I  know  to  be  true." 

Raoul  was  aware  that  the  laxity  of  his  religious  opinions, 
opinions  that  he  may  be  said  to"  have  inherited  from  his 
country,  as  it  then  existed  morally,  alone  prevented  Ghita 
from  casting  aside  all  other  ties,  and  following  his  fortunes, 
in  weal  and  in  woe.  Still  he  was  too  frank  and  generous 
to  deceive,  while  he  had  ever  been  too  considerate  to  strive 
to  unsettle  her  confiding  and  consoling  faith.  Her  infirmity 
even,  for  so  he  deemed  her  notions  to  be,  had  a  charm^  in 
his  eyes ;  few  men,  however  loose  or  sceptical  in  their  own 
opinions  on  such  matters,  finding  any  pleasure  in  the  con 
templation  of  a  female  infidel ;  and  he  had  never  looked 
nore  fondly  into  her  anxious  but  lovsly  face,  than  he  did  at 


88  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

this  very  instant,  making  his  reply  with  a  truth  that  bordered 
on  magnanimity. 

"  Thou  art  my  religion,  Ghita !"  he  said ;  "  in  thee  I 
worship  purity,  and  holiness,  and — " 

"Nay  —  nay,  Raoul,  do  not  —  refrain  —  if  thou  really 
lov'st  me,  utter  not  this  frightful  blasphemy ;  tell  me,  rather, 
if  thou  didst  not  find  the  holy  father,  as  I  describe  him?" 

"  I  found  him  a  peaceful,  venerable,  and,  I  firmly  believe, 
a  good  old  man,  Ghita  ;  but  only  a  man.  No  infallibility 
could  I  see  about  him ;  but  a  set  of  roguish  cardinals,  and 
other  plotters  of  mischief,  who  were  much  better  calculated 
to  set  Christians  by  the  ears,  than  to  lead  them  to  Heaven, 
surrounded  his  chair." 

"  Say  no  more,  Raoul  —  I  will  listen  to  no  more  of  this. 
Thou  knowest  not  these  sainted  men,  and  thy  tongue  is 
thine  own  enemy,  without  —  hark  !  what  means  that  ?" 

"  'T  is  a  gun  from  the  frigate,  and  must  be  looked  to ;  say, 
when  and  where  do  we  meet  again  ?" 

"  I  know  not,  now.  We  have  been  too  long,  much  too 
long,  together,  as  it  is ;  and  must  separate.  Trust  to  me  to 
provide  the  means  of  another  meeting ;  at  all  events,  we 
shall  shortly  be  in  our  tower,  again." 

Ghita  glided  away  as  she  ceased  speaking,  and  soon  dis 
appeared  in  the  town.  As  for  Raoul,  he  was  at  a  loss,  for 
a  moment,  whether  to  follow  or  not ;  then  he  hastened  to 
the  terrace,  in  front  of  the  government-house,  again,  in  order 
to  ascertain  the  meaning  of  the  gun.  The  report  had  drawn 
others  to  the  same  place,  and  on  reaching  it,  the  young  man 
found  himself  in  another  crowd. 

By  this  time  the  Proserpine,  for  Ithuel  was  right  as  to  the 
name  of  the  stranger,  had  got  within  a  league  of  the  entrance 
of  the  bay,  and  had  gone  about,  stretching  over  to  its  eastern 
shore,  apparently  with  the  intention  to  fetch  fairly  into  it, 
on  the  next  tack.  The  smoke  of  her  gun  was  sailing  off  to 
leeward,  in  a  little  cloud,  and  signals  were  again  flying  at 
her  main-royal-mast-head.  All  this  was  very  intelligible  to 
Raoul,  it  being  evident,  at  a  glance,  that  the  frigate  had 
reached  in  nearer  both  to  look  at  the  warlike  lugger  that 
she  saw  in  the  bay,  and  to  communicate  more  clearly  with 
her  by  signals.  IthuePs  expedient  had  not  sufficed;  the 
vigilant  Captain  Cuffe,  alias  Sir  Brown,  who  commanded 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  89 

the  Proserpine,  not  being  a  man  likely  to  be  mystified  by  so 
stale  a  trick.  Raoul  scarcely  breathed,  as  he  watched  the 
lugger,  in  anticipation  of  her  course. 

Ithucl  certainly  seemed  in  no  hurry  to  commit  himself, 
for  the  signal  had  now  been  flying  on  board  the  frigate 
several  minutes,  and  yet  no  symptoms  of  any  preparation 
for  an  answer  could  be  discovered.  At  length  the  halyards 
moved,  and  then  three  fair,  handsome  flags  rose  to  the  end 
of  le  Feu-Follet's  jigger-yard,  a  spar  that  was  always  kept 
aloft,  in  moderate  weather.  What  the  signal  meant  Raoul 
did  not  know,  for  though  he  was  provided  with  signals  by 
means  of  which  to  communicate  with  the  vessels  of  war  of 
his  own  nation,  the  Directory  had  not  been  able  to  supply 
him  with  those  necessary  to  communicate  with  the  enemy. 
Ithuel's  ingenuity,  however^  had  supplied  the  deficiency. 
While  serving  on  board  the  Proserpine,  the  very  ship  that 
was  now  menacing  the  lugger,  he  had  seen  a  meeting  be 
tween  her  and  a  privateer  English  lugger,  one  of  the  two  or 
three  of  that  rig  which  sailed  out  of  England,  and  his  observ 
ant  eye  had  noted  the  flags  she  had  shown  on  the  occasion. 
Now  as  privateersmen  are  not  expected  to  be  expert,  or  even 
very  accurate,  in  the  use  of  signals,  he  had  ventured  to 
show  these  very  numbers,  let  it  prove  for  better  or  worse. 
Had  he  been  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  frigate,  he  would  have 
ascertained  through  the  benedictions  bestowed  by  Captain 
CufFe,  that  his  ruse  had  so  far  succeeded  as  to  cause  that 
officer  to  attribute  his  unintelligible  answer  to  ignorance, 
rather  than  to  design.  Nevertheless,  the  frigate  did  not 
seem  disposed  to  alter  her  course ;  for,  either  influenced  by 
a  desire  to  anchor,  or  by  a  determination  to  take  a  still 
closer  look  at  the  lugger,  she  stood  on,  nearing  the  eastern 
side  of  the  bay,  at  the  rate  of  some  six  miles  to  the  hour. 

Raoul  Yvard  now  thought  it  time  to  look  to  the  safety  of 
le  Feu-Follet,  in  person.  Previously  to  landing,  he  Had 
given  instructions  as  to  what  was  to  be  done,  in  the  event 
of  the  frigate's  coming  close  in ;  but  matters  now  seemed  so 
very  serious,  that  he  hurried  down  the  hill,  overtaking  Vito 
Viti,  in  his  way,  who  was  repairing  to  the  harbour  to  give 
instructions  to  certain  boatmen  concerning  the  manner  in 
which  the  quarantine  laws  were  to  be  regarded,  in  an  inter 
course  with  a  British  frigate. 
8* 


90  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

"  You  ought  to  be  infinitely  happy,  at  the  prospect  of 
meeting  an  honourable  countryman,  in  this  Sir  Brown," 
observed  the  short-winded  podesta,  who  usually  put  himself 
out  of  breath,  both  in  ascending  and  descending  the  steep 
street,  "  for  he  really  seems  determined  to  anchor  in  our 
bay,  Signer  Smees." 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  Signer  Podesta,  I  wish  I  was  half 
as  well  persuaded  that  it  is  Sir  Brown,  and  la  Proserpine, 
as  I  was  an  hour  ago.  I  see  symptoms  of  its  being  a  re 
publican,  after  all,  and  must  have  a  care  for  ze  Ving-And- 
Ving." 

"  The  devil  carry  away  all  republicans,  is  my  humble 
prayer,  Signer  Capitano ;  but  I  can  hardly  believe  that  so 
graceful  and  gracious-looking  a  frigate  can  possibly  belong 
to  such  wretches."  . 

"  Ah  !  Signore,  if  that  were  all,  I  fear  we  should  have  to 
yield  the  palm  to  the  French,"  answered  Raoul,  laughing ; 
"  for  the  best-looking  craft  in  His  Majesty's  service  are 
republican  prizes.  Even  should  this  frigate  turn  out  to  be 
the  Proserpine,  herself,  she  can  claim  no  better  origin.  But, 
I  think  the  vice-governatore  has  not  done  well  in  deserting 
the  batteries,  since  this  stranger  does  not  answer  our  signals 
as  she  should.  The  last  communication  has  proved  quite 
unintelligible  to  him." 

Raoul  was  nearer  to  the  truth  than  he  imagined,  perhaps, 
for  certainly  Ithuel's  numbers  had  made  nonsense,  according 
to  the  signal-book  of  the  Proserpine ;  but  his  confident  man 
ner  had  an  effect  on  Vito  Viti,  who  was  duped  by  his  seem 
ing  earnestness,  as  well  as  by  a  circumstance,  which,  rightly 
considered,  told  as  much  against,  as  it  did  in  favour  of  his 
companion. 

"  And  what  is  to  be  done,  Signore  ?"  demanded  the  po 
desta,  stopping  short  in  the  street. 

*  "  We  must  do  as  well  as  we  can,  under  the  circumstances. 
My  duty  is  to  look  out  for  ze  Ving-And-Ving,  and  yours  to 
look  out  for  the  town.  Should  the  stranger  actually  enter 
the  bay,  and  bring  his  broadside  to  bear  on  this  steep  hill, 
there  is  not  a  chamber-window  that  will  not  open  on  the 
muzzles  of  his  guns.  You  will  grant  me  permission  to  haul 
into  the  inner  harbour,  where  we  shall  be  sheltered  by  the 
buildings  from  his  shot,  and  then,  perhaps,  it  will  be  well 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  91 

enough  to  send  my  people  into  the  nearest  battery.  I  look 
for  bloodshed  and  confusion,  ere  long." 

All  this  was  said  with  so  much  apparent  sincerity,  that  it 
added  to  the  podesta's  mystification.  Calling  a  neighbour 
to  him,  he  sent  the  latter  up  the  hill,  with  a  message  to 
Andrea  Barrofaldi,  and  then  he  hurried  down  towards  the 
port,  it  being  much  easier  for  him,  just  at  that  moment,  to 
ascend,  than  to  descend.  Raoul  kept  at  his  side,  and  toge 
ther  they  reached  the  water's  edge. 

The  podesta  was  greatly  addicted  to  giving  utterance  to 
any  predominant  opinion  of  the  moment,  being  one  of  those 
persons  who  feel  quite  as  much  as  they  think.  On  the 
present  occasion,  he  did  not  spare  the  frigate,  for,  having 
caught  at  the  bait  that  his  companion  had  so  artfully  thrown 
out  to  him,  he  was  loud  in  the  expression  of  his  distrust. 
Al!  the  signalling  and  showing  of  colours,  he  now  believed 
to  be  a  republican  trick ;  and  precisely  in  proportion  as  he 
became  resentful  of  the  supposed  fraud  of  the  ship,  was  he 
disposed  to  confide  blindly  in  the  honesty  of  the  lugger. 
This  was  a  change  of  sentiment  in  the  magistrate  ;  and,  as 
in  the  case  of  all  sudden  but  late  conversions,  he  was  in  a 
humour  to  compensate  for  his  tardiness,  by  the  excess  of  his 
zeal.  In  consequence  of  this  disposition,  the  character  and 
loquacity  of  the  man,  all  aided  by  a  few  timely  suggestions 
on  the  part  of  Raoul,  in  five  minutes  it  came  to  be  generally 
understood  that  the  frigate  was  greatly  to  be  distrusted,  while 
the  lugger  was  to  rise  in  public  favour  exactly  in  the  degree 
in  which  the  other  fell.  This  interposition  of  Vito  Viti's 
was  exceedingly  a  propos,  so  far  as  le  Feu-Follet  and  her 
people  were  concerned,  inasmuch  as  the  examination  of, 
and  intercourse  with,  the  boat's  crew,  had  rather  left  the 
impression  of  their  want  of  nationality,  in  a  legal  sense,  than 
otherwise.  In  a  word,  had  not  the  podesta  so  loudly  and 
so  actively  proclaimed  the  contrary,  Tommaso  and  his  fel 
lows  were  about  to  report  their  convictions  that  these  men 
were  all  bona  fide  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing — alias,  French 
men. 

"  No,  no — amici  miei,"  said  Vito  Viti,  bustling  about  on 
the  narrow  little  quay,  "  all  is  not  gold  that  glitters,  of  a 
certainty  ;  and  this  frigate  is  probably  no  ally,  but  an  enemy. 
A  very  different  matter  is  it  with  ze  Ving-y-Ving,  and  II 


92  LEFEU-FOLLBT. 

Signer  Srnees  —  we  may  be  said  to  know  him  —  have  seen 
his  papers,  and  the  vice-governatore  and  myself  have  exa 
mined  him,  as  it  might  be,  on  the  history  and  laws  of  his 
island,  for  England  is  an  island,  neighbours,  as  well  as  Elba; 
another  reason  for  respect  and  amity  —  but  we  have  gone 
over  much  of  the  literature  and  history  of  Inghilterra  toge 
ther,  and  find  everything  satisfactory  and  right ;  therefore 
are  we  bound  to  show  the  lugger  protection  and  love." 

"  Most  true,  Signer  Podesta,"  answered  Raoul,  from  his 
boat ;  "  and  such  being  the  case,  I  hasten  to  haul  my  vessel 
into  the  mouth  of  your  basin,  which  I  will  defend  against 
boats,  or  any  attempt  of  these  rascally  republicans  to  land." 

Waving  his  hand,  the  young  sailor  pulled  quickly  out  of 
the  crowded  little  port,  followed  by  a  hundred  vivas.  Raoul 
now  saw  that  his  orders  had  not  been  neglected.  A  small 
line  had  been  run  out  from  the  lugger,  and  fastened  to  a 
ring  in  the  inner  end  of  the  eastern  side  of  the  narrow  haven, 
apparently  with  the  intention  of  hauling  the  vessel  into  the 
harbour  itself.  He  also  perceived  that  the  light  anchor,  or 
large  kedge,  by  which  le  Feu-Follet  rode,  was  under  foot,  as 
seamen  term  it;  or  that  the  cable  was  nearly  "  up  and  down." 
With  a  wave  of  the  hand  he  communicated  a  new  order, 
and  then  he  saw  that  the  men  were  raising  the  kedge  from 
the  bottom.  By  the  time  his  foot  touched  the  deck,  indeed, 
the  anchor  was  up  and  stowed,  and  nothing  held  the  vessel 
but  the  line  that  had  been  run  to  the  quay.  Fifty  pairs  of 
hands  were  applied  to  this  line,  and  the  lugger  advanced 
rapidly  towards  her  place  of  shelter.  But  an  artifice  was 
practised  to  prevent  her  heading  into  the"  harbour's  mouth, 
the  line  having  been  brought  inboard  abaft  her  larboard  cat 
head,  a  circumstance  which  necessarily  gave  her  a  sheer  in 
the  contrary  direction,  or  to  the  eastward  of  the  entrance. 
When  the  reader  remembers  that  the  scale  on  which  the 
port  had  been  constructed  was  small,  the  entrance  scarce' 
exceeding  a  hundred  feet  in  width,  he  will  better  understand 
the  situation  of  things.  Seemingly  to  aid  the  movement,  too, 
the  jigger  was  set,  and  the  wind  being  south,  or  directly  aft, 
the  lugger's  motion  was  soon  light  and  rapid.  As  the  vessel 
drew  nearer  to  the  entrance,  her  people  made  a  run  with 
the  line,  and  gave  her  a  movement  of  some  three  or  four 
knots  to  the  hour,  actually  threatening  to  dash  her  bows 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  93 

against  the  pier-head.  But  Raoul  Yvard  contemplated  no 
such  blunder.  At  the  proper  moment,  the  line  was  cut,  the 
helm  was  put  a-port,  the  lugger's  head  sheered  to  starboard, 
and  just  as  Vito  Viti,  who  witnessed  all  without  compre 
hending  more  than  half  that  passed,  was  shouting  his  vivas, 
and  Animating  all  near  him  with  his  cries,  the  lugger  glided 
past  the  end  of  the  harbour,  on  its  outside,  however,  instead 
of  entering  it.  So  completely  was  every  one  taken  by  sur 
prise,  by  this  evolution,  that  the  first  impression  was  of  some 
mistake,  accident,  or  blunder  of  the  helmsman,  and  cries  of 
regret  followed,  lest  the  frigate  might  have  it  in  her  power 
to  profit  by  the  mishap.  The  flapping  of  canvass,  notwith 
standing,  showed  that  no  time  was  lost,  and  presently  le 
Feu-Follet  shot  by  an  opening  between  the  warehouses, 
under  all  sail.  At  this  critical  instant,  the  frigate,  which 
saw  what  passed,  but  which  had  been  deceived,  like  all  the 
rest,  and  supposed  the  lugger  was  hauling  into  the  haven, 
tacked  and  came  round  with  her  head  to  the  westward. 
But,  intending  to  fetch  well  into  the  bay,  she  had  stretched 
so  far  over  towards  the  eastern  shore,  as,  by  this  time,  to  be 
quite  two  miles  distant ;  and  as  the  lugger  rounded  the  pro 
montory  close  under  its  rocks,  to  avoid  the  shot  of  the  bat 
teries  above,  she  left,  in  less  than  five  minutes,  her  enemy 
that  space  directly  astern.  Nor  was  this  all.  Jt  would 
have  been  dangerous  to  fire,  as  well  as  useless,  on  account 
of  the  range,  since  the  lugger  lay  nearly  in  a  iine  between 
her  enemy's  chase  guns  and  the  residence  of  the  vice-gover- 
natore.  It  only  remained,  therefore,  for  the  frigate  to  com 
mence  what  is  proverbially  "  a  long  chase,"  viz.  a  "  stern 
chase." 

All  that  has  just  been  related  may  have  occupied  ten 
minutes;  but  the  news  reached  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  and  his 
counsellors,  soon  enough  to  allow  them  to  appear  on  the 
promontory  in  time  to  see  the  Ving-y-Ving  pass  close  under 
the  cliffs  beneath  them,  still  keeping  her  English  colours 
flying.  Raoul  was  visible,  trumpet  in  hand  ;  but  as  the  wind 
was  light,  his  powerful  voice  sufficed  to  tell  his  story. 

"  Signori,"  he  shouted,  "  I  will  lead  the  rascally  republi 
can  away  from  your  port,  in  chase ;  that  will  be  the  most 
effectual  mode  of  doing  you  a  service." 

These  words  were  heard,  and  understood,  and  a  murmur 


94  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

of  applause  followed,  from  some,  while  others  thought  the 
whole  affair  mysterious  and  questionable.  There  was  no 
time  to  interpose,  by  acts,  had  such  a  course  been  contem 
plated,  the  lugger  keeping  too  close  in  to  be  exposed  to  shot, 
and  there  being,  as  yet,  no  new  preparations  in  the  batteries, 
to  meet  an  enemy.  Then  there  were  the  doubts  as  to  the 
proper  party  to  assail,  and  all  passed  too  rapidly  to  admit 
of  consultation  or  preconcert.  The  movement  of  le  Feu- 
Follet  was  so  easy,  as  to  partake  of  the  character  of  instinct 
Her  light  sails  were  fully  distended,  though  the  breeze  was 
far  from  fresh  ;  and,  as  she  rose  and  fell  on  the  long  ground- 
swells,  her  wedge-like  bows  caused  the  water  to  ripple  before 
them  like  a  swift  current  meeting  a  sharp  obstacle  in  the 
stream.  It  was  only  as  she  sunk  into  the  water,  in  stem 
ming  a  swell,  that  anything  like  foam  could  be  seen  under 
her  fore-foot.  A  long  line  of  swift-receding  bubbles,  how 
ever,  marked  her  track,  and  she  no  sooner  came  abreast  of 
any  given  group  of  spectators,  than  she  was  past  it" — resem 
bling  the  progress  of  a  porpoise,  as  he  sports  along  a  har 
bour. 

Ten  minutes  after  passing  the  palace,  or  the  pitch  of  the 
promontory,  the  lugger  opened  another  bay,  one  wider  and 
almost  as  deep  as  that  on  which  Porto  Ferrajo  stands,  and 
here  she*  took  the  breeze  without  the  intervention  of  any 
neighbouring  rocks,  and  her  speed  was  essentially  increased. 
Hitherto,  her  close  proximity  to  the  shore  had  partially  be 
calmed  her,  though  the  air  had  drawn  round  the  promontory, 
making  nearly  a  fair  wind  of  it ;  but,  now,  the  currents 
came  fully  on  her  beam,  and  with  much  more  power.  She 
hauled  down  her  tacks,  flattened  in  her  sheets,  luffed,  and 
was  soon  out  of  sight,  breasting  up  to  windward  of  a  point 
that  formed  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  bay  last  mentioned. 

All  this  time  the  Proserpine  had  not  been  idle.  As  soon 
as  she  discovered  that  the  lugger  was  endeavouring  to 
escape,  her  rigging  was  alive  with  men.  Sail  after  sail  was 
set,  one  white  cloud  succeeding  another,  until  she  was  a 
sheet  of  canvass,  from  her  trucks  to  her  bulwarks.  Her 
lofty  sails  taking  the  breeze  above  the  adjacent  coast,  her 
progress  was  swift,  for  this  particular  frigate  had  the  repu 
tation  of  being  one  of  the  fastest  vessels  in  the  English 
marine. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  95 

It  was  just  twenty  minutes,  by  Andrea  Barrofaldi's  watch, 
after  le  Feu-Follet  passed  the  spot  where  he  stood,  when  the 
Proserpine  came  abreast  of  it.  Her  greater  draught  of  water 
induced  ffer  to  keep  half  a  mile  from  the  promontory,  but 
she  was  so  near  as  to  allow  a  very  good  opportunity  to  exa 
mine  her  general  construction  and  appearance,  as  she  went 
by.  The  batteries  were  now  manned,  and  a  consultation 
was  held  on  the  propriety  of  punishing  a  republican  for 
daring  to  come  so  near  a  Tuscan  port.  But  there  flew  the 
respected  and  dreaded  English  ensign ;  and  it  was  still  a 
matter  of  doubt  whether  the  stranger  were,  friend  or  enemy. 
Nothing  about  the  ship  showed  apprehension,  and  yet  she 
was  clearly  chasing  a  craft  which,  coming  from  a  Tuscan 
harbour,  an  Englishman  would  be  bound  to  consider  entitled 
to  his  protection,  rather  than  to  his  hostility.  In  a  word, 
opinions  were  divided,  and  when  that  is  the  case,  in  matters 
of  this  nature,  decision  is  obviously  difficult.  Then,  if  a 
Frenchman,  she  clearly  attempted  no  injury  to  any  on  the 
island ;  and  those  who  possessed  the  power  to  commence  a 
fire  were  fully  aware  how  much  the  town  lay  exposed,  and 
how  little  benefit  might  be  expected  from  even  a  single 
broadside.  The  consequence  was,  that  the  few  who  were 
disposed  to  open  on  the  frigate,  like  the  two  or  three  whc 
had  felt  the  same  disposition  towards  the  lugger,  were  -re 
strained  in  their  wishes,  not  only  by  the  voice  of  superior 
authority,  but  by  that  of  numbers. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  Proserpine  pressed  on,  and  in  ten 
minutes  more  she  was  not  only  out  of  the  range,  but  beyond 
the  reach  of  shot.  As  she  opened  the  bay  west  of  the  town, 
le  Feu-Follet  was  seen  from  her  decks,  fully  a  league  ahead, 
close  on  a  wind,  the  breeze  hauling  round  the  western  end 
of  the  island,  glancing  through  the  water  at  a  rate  that  ren 
dered  pursuit  more  than  doubtful.  Still  the  ship  persevered, 
and  in  little  more  than  an  hour  from  the  time  she  had 
crowded  sail,  she  was  up  with  the  western  extremity  of  the 
hills,  though  more  than  a  mile  to  leeward.  Here  she  met 
the  fair  southern  breeze,  uninfluenced  by  the  land,  as  it 
came  through  the  pass  between  Corsica  and  Elba,  and  got 
a  clear  view  of  the  work  before  her.  The  studding-sails 
and  royals  had  been  taken  in,  twenty  minutes  earlier ;  the 
bowlines  were  now  all  hauled,  and  the  frigate  was  brough 


96  LEFEr-FOLLET. 

close  upon  the  wind.  Still  the  chase  was  evidently  hope 
less,  the  little  Feu-Follet  having  everything  as  much  to  hel 
mind,  as  if  she  had  ordered  the  weather  expressly  to  show 
her  powers.  With  her  sheets  flattened  in  until  he?  canvass 
stood  like  boards,  her  head  looked  fully  a  point  to  windward 
of  that  of  the  ship,  and,  what  was  of  equal  importance,  she 
even  went  to  windward  of  the  point  she  looked  at,  while  the 
Proserpine,  if  anything,  fell  off  a  little,  though  but  a  very 
little,  from  her  own  coufse.  Under  all  these  differences, 
the  lugger  went  through  the  water  six  feet  to  the  frigate's 
five,  beating  her  in  speed  almost  as  much  as  she  did  in  her 
weatherly  qualities. 

The  vessel  to  windward  was  not  the  first  lugger,  by  fifty, 
that  Captain  Cuffe  had  assisted  in  chasing,  and  he  knew  the 
hopelessness  of  following  such  a  craft,  under  circumstances 
so  directly  adapted  to  its  qualities.  Then  he  was  far  from 
certain  that  he  was  pursuing  an  enemy  at  all,  whatever 
distrust  the  signals  may  have  excited,  since  she  had  clearly 
come  out  of  a  friendly  port.  Bastia,  too,  lay  within  a  few 
hours'  run,  and  there  was  the  whole  of  the  east  coast  oi 
Corsica,  abounding  with  small  bays  and  havens,  in  which  a 
vessel  of  that  size  might  take  refuge,  if  pressed.  After  con 
vincing  himself,  therefore,  by  half-an-hour's  further  trial  in 
open  sailing  under  the  full  force  of  the  breeze,  of  the  fruit- 
lessness  of  his  effort,  that  experienced  officer  ordered  the 
Proserpine's  helm  put  up,  the  yards  squared,  and  he  stood 
to  the  northward,  apparently  shaping  his  course  for  Leghorn, 
or  the  Gulf  of  Genoa.  When  the  frigate  made  this  change 
in  her  course,  the  lugger,  which  had  lacked  some  time  pre 
viously,  was  just  becoming  shut  in  by  the  western  end  of 
Elba,  and  she  was  soon  lost  to  view  entirely,  with  every 
prospect  of  her  weathering  the  island  altogether,  without 
being  obliged  to  go  about  again. 

It  was  no  more  than  natural  that  such  a  chase  should 
occasion  some  animation  in  a  place  as  retired,  and  ordinarily 
as  dull,  as  Porto  Ferrajo.  Several  of  the  young  idlers  of  the 
garrison  obtained  horses,  and  galloped  up  among  the  hills, 
to  watch  the  result ;  the  mountains  being  pretty  well  inter 
sected  by  bridle-paths,  though  totally  without  regular  roads. 
They  who  remained  in  the  town,  as  a  matter  of  course,  were 
not  disposed  to  let  so  favourable  a  subject  for  discourse  die 


LEFEU-FOLLET  97 

away  immediately,  for  want  of  a  disposition  to  gossip  on 
it.  Little  else  was  talked  of,  that  day,  than  the  menaced 
attack  of  the  republican  frigate,  and  the  escape  of  the  lugger. 
Some,  indeed,  still  doubted,  for  every  question  has  its  two 
sides,  and  there  was  just  enough  of  dissent  to  render  the 
discussions  lively,  and  the  argumeftts  ingenious.  Among 
the  disputants,  Vito  Viti  acted  a  prominent  part.  Having 
committed  himself  so  openly  by  his  "  vivas,"  and  his  public 
remarks  in  the  port,  he  felt  it  due  to  his  own  character  to 
justify  all  he  had  said,  and  Raoul  Yvard  could  not  have 
desired  a  warmer  advocate  than  he  now  had  in  the  podesta. 
The  worthy  magistrate  exaggerated  the  vice-governatore's 
knowledge  of  English,  by  way  of  leaving  no  deficiency  in 
the  necessary  proofs  of  the  lugger's  national  character.  Nay, 
he  even  went  so  far  as  to  affirm  that  he  had  comprehended 
a  portion  of  the  documents  exhibited  by  the  "  Signer  Smees," 
himself;  and  as  to  "ze  Ving-y-Ving,"  any  one  acquainted  in 
the  least  with  the  geography  of  the  British  Channel,  would 
understand  that  she  was  precisely  the  sort  of  craft  that  the 
semi-Gallic  inhabitants  of  Guernsey  and  Jersey  would  be  apt 
to  send  forth  to  cruise  against  the  altogether  Gallic  inhabi 
tants  of  the  adjacent  main. 

During  all  these  discussions,  there  was  one  heart  in  Porto 
Ferrajo  that  was  swelling  with  the  conflicting  emotions  of 
gratitude,  disappointment,  joy  and  fear,  though  the  tongue 
of  its  owner  was  silent.  Of  all  of  her  sex  in  the  place,  Ghita 
alone  had  nothing  to  conjecture,  no  speculation  to  advance, 
no  opinion  to  maintain,  nor  any  wish  to  express.  Still  she 
listened  eagerly,  and  it  was  not  the  least  of  her  causes  of 
satisfaction  to  find  that  her  own  hurried  interviews  with  the 
handsome  privateersman,  had  apparently  escaped  observa 
tion.  At  length  her  mind  was  fully  lightened  of  its  appre 
hensions,  leaving  nothing  but  tender  regrets,  by  the  return 
of  the  horsemen  from  the  mountains.  These  persons  re 
ported  that  the  upper  sails  of  the  frigate  were  just  visible  in 
the  northern  board,  so  far  as  they  could  judge  even  more 
distant  than  the  island  of  Capraya,  while  the  lugger  had 
oeaten  up  almost  as  far  to  windward  as  Pianosa,  and  then 
seemed  disposed  to  stand  over  towards  the  coast  of  Corsica  ; 
doubtless  with  an  intention  to  molest  the  commerce  of  that 
hostile  island 

9 


98  LEFEU-FOLLET 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Ant.  —  "And,  indeed,  sir,  there  are  cozeners  abroad;  therefore  ft 

behoves  men  to  be  wary." 

Clo.  —  "  Fear  not  thou,  man,  thou  shalt  lose  nothing  here." 

Ant.  —  "I   hope  so,  sir ;  for   I  have   about  me  many  parcels   of 

change." 

Winter's  Tale. 

SUCH  was  the  state  of  things  at  Porto  Ferrajo,  at  noon, 
or  about  the  hour  when  its  inhabitants  bethought  them  of 
their  mid-day  meal.  With  most,  the  siesta  followed,  though 
the  sea  air,  with  its  invigorating  coolness,  rendered  that 
indulgence  less  necessary  to  these  islanders,  than  to  most 
of  their  neighbours  on  the  main.  Then  succeeded  the  re 
viving  animation  of  the  afternoon,  and  the  return  of  the 
zephyr,  or  the  western  breeze.  So  regular,  indeed,  are 
these  changes  in  the  currents  of  the  air,  during  the  summer 
months,  that  the  mariner  can  rely,  with  safety,  on  meeting 
a  light  breeze  from  the  southward,  throughout  the  morning, 
a  calm  at  noon  —  the  siesta  of  the  Mediterranean  —  and 
the  delightfully  cool  wind  from  the  west,  after  three  or 
four  o'clock ;  this  last  is  again  succeeded,  at  night,  by  a 
breeze  directly  from  the  land.  Weeks  at  a  time  have  we 
known  this  order  of  things  to  be  uninterrupted ;  and  when 
the  changes  did  occasionally  occur,  it  was  only  in  the  slight 
episodes  of  showers  and  thunder-storms,  of  which,  however, 
Italy  has  far  fewer  than  our  own  coast. 

Such,  then,  was  the  state  of  Porto  Ferrajo,  towards  the 
evening  that  succeeded  this  day  of  bustle  and  excitement. 
The  zephyr  again  prevailed,  the  idle  once  more  issued 
forth  for  their  sun-set  walk,  and  the  gossips  were  collecting 
to  renew  their  conjectures,  and  to  start  some  new  point  in 
their  already  exhausted  discussions,  when  a  rumour  spread 
through  the  place,  like  fire  communicated  to  a  train,  that 
"  ze  Ving-y-Ving"  was  once  more  coming  down  on  the 
weather  side  of  the  island,  precisely  as  she  had  approached 
on  the  previous  evening ;  with  the  confidence  of  a  friend, 
and  the  celerity  of  a  bird.  Ye:>rs  had  passed  since  such  a 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  99 

tumuli  was  awakened  in  the  capital  of  Elba.  Men,  women 
and  children,  poured  from  the  houses,  and  were  seen  climb 
ing  the  streets,  all  hastening  to  the  promenade,  as  if  to  satisfy 
themselves,  with  their  own  eyes,  of  the  existence  of  some 
miracle.  In  vain  did  the  infirm  and  aged  call  on  the  vigor 
ous  and  more  youthful,  for  the  customary  assistance  j  they 
were  avoided  like  the  cases  of  plague,  and  were  left  to  hobble 
up  the  terraced  street  as  best  they  might.  Even  mothers, 
alter  dragging  them  at  their  own  sides  till  fearful  of  being 
too  late,  abandoned  their  young  in  the  highway,  certain  of 
finding  them  rolled  to  the  foot  of  the  declivity,  should  they 
fail  of  scrambling  to  its  summit.  In  short,  it  was  a  scene 
of  confusion  in  which  there  was  much  to  laugh  at,  some 
thing  to  awaken  wonder,  and  not  a  little  that  was  natural. 

Ten  minutes  had  not  certainly  elapsed,  after  the  rumour 
reached  the  lower  part  of  the  town,  ere  two  thousand  persons 
were  on  the  hill,  including  nearly  all  the  principal  person 
ages  of  the  place,  'Maso  Tonti,  Ghita,  and  the  different 
characters  known  to  the  reader.  So  nearly  did  the  scene 
of  this  evening  resemble  that  of  the  past,  the  numbers  of  the 
throng  on  the  hill  and  the  greater  interest  excepted,  that  one 
who  had  been  present  at  the  former,  might  readily  have 
fancied  the  latter  merely  its  continuation.  There,  indeed, 
was  the  lugger,  under  her  foresail  and  mainsail,  with  the 
jigger  brailed,  coming  down  wing-and-wing,  and  glancing 
along  the  glittering  sea  like  the  duck  sailing  towards  her 
nest.  This  time,  however,  the  English  ensign  was  flying 
at  the  end  of  the  jigger-yard,  as  if  in  triumph,  and  the  little 
crafl  held  her  way  nearer  to  the  rocks,  like  one  acquainted 
with  the  coast,  and  fearing  no  danger.  There  was  a  manner 
of  established  confidence  in  the  way  in  which  she  trusted 
herself  under  the  muzzles  of  guns  that  might  have  destroyed 
her  in  a  very  few  minutes,  and  no  one  who  saw  her  approach 
could  very  well  believe  that  she  was  anything  but  a  known, 
as  well  as  a  confirmed  friend. 

"  Would  any  of  the  republican  rascals,  think  you,  Signor 
Andrea,"  asked  Vilo  Viti,  in  triumph,  "  dare  to  come  into 
Porto  Ferrajo,  in  this  style ;  knowing,  too,  as  does  this  '  Sir 
Srnees,'  the  sort  of  people  he  will  have  to  deal  with  !  Re- 
member,  Vioe-governatore,  that  the  man  has  actually  been 


100  LE     FBU-FOLLET. 

ashore  among  us,  and  would  not  be  likely  to  run  his  head 
into  the  lion's  mouth." 

"  Thou  hast  changed  thine  opinion  greatly,  neighbour 
Vito,"  answered  the  vice-governatore,  somewhat  drily,  for 
he  was  far  from  being  satisfied  on  the  subject  of  Sir  Cicero, 
and  on  those  of  certain  other  circumstances  in  English  his 
tory  and  politics ;  "  it  better  becomes  magistrates  to  be 
cautious  and  wary." 

"  Well,  if  there  be  a  more  cautious  and  circumspect  man 
in  Elba  than  the  poor  podesta  of  Porto  Ferrajo,  let  him  stand 
forth,  o'  God's  name,  and  prove  his  deeds  !  I  do  not  esteem 
myself,  Signer  Vice-governatore,  as  the  idlest,  or  as  the 
most  ignorant  man  in  the  Grand  Duke's  territories.  There 
may  be  wiser,  among  whom  I  place  your  eccellenza ;  but 
there  is  not  a  more  loyal  subject,  or  a  more  zealous  friend 
of  truth." 

"  I  believe  it,  good  Vito,"  returned  Andrea,  smiling  kindly 
on  his  old  associate,  "  and  have  ever  so  considered  thy  ad 
vice  and  services.  Still,  I  wish  I  knew  something  of  this 
Sir  Cicero ;  for,  to  be  frank  with  thee,  I  have  even  foregone 
my  siesta,  in  searching  the  books  in  quest  of  such  a  man.? 

"  And  do  they  not  confirm  every  syllable  the  Sjgnor 
Smees  has  said  ?" 

"  So  far  from  it,  that  I  do  not  even  find  the  name.  It  is 
true,  several  distinguished  orators  of  that  nation  are  styled 
English  Ciceroes ;  but  then  all  people  do  this,  by  way  of 
commendation." 

"  I  do  not  know  that,  Signore  —  I  do  not  know  that  —  it 
may  happen  in  our  Italy  ;  but  would  it  come  to  pass,  think 
you,  among  remote  and  so  lately  barbarous  nations  asEng. 
land,  Germany  and  France?" 

"  Thou  forgettest,  friend  Viti,"  returned  the  vice-governa 
tore,  smiling  now,  in  pity  of  his  companion's  ignorance  and 
prejudices,  as  just  before  he  had  smiled  in  kindness,  "  that 
we  Italians  took  the  pains  to  civilize  these  people  a  thou 
sand  years  ago,  and  that  they  have  not  gone  backward  all 
this  time.  But  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  '  ze  Ving-y-Ving* 
means  to  enter  our  bay  again,  and  there  stands  the  '  Signor 
Smees'  examining  us  with  a  glass,  as  if  he,  too,  contem 
plated  another  interview." 

14  It  strikes  me,  Vice-governatore,  that  it  would  be  a  sin 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  101 

next  to  heresy  to  doubt  the  character  of  those  who  so  loyally 
put  their  trust  in  us.  No  republican  would  dare  to  anchor 
in  the  bay  of  Porto  Ferrajo  a  second  time.  Once,  it  might 
possibly  be  done;  but  twice?  —  no,  never,  never." 

*'  1  do  not  know  but  you  are  right,  Vito,  and  I  am  sure  I 
hope  so.  Will  you  descend  to  the  port,  and  see  that  the 
forms  are  complied  with  1  Then  glean  such  useful  circum 
stances  as  you  can." 

The  crowd  was  now  in  motion  towards  the  lower  part  of 
the  town,  to  meet  the  lugger ;  and  at  this  suggestion  the 
podesta  hurried  down,  in  the  throng,  to  be  in  readiness  to 
receive  the  "  Signor  Smees,"  as  soon  as  he  should  land.  It 
was  thought  more  dignified  and  proper  for  the  vice-go  verna- 
tore  to  remain,  and  await  to  hear  the  report  of  the  supposed 
English  officer,  where  he  was.  Ghita  was  one  of  the  few, 
also,  who  remained  on  the  heights,  her  heart  now  beating 
with  renewed  apprehensions  of  the  dangers  that  her  lover 
had  again  braved  on  her  account,  and  now  nearly  overflow 
ing  with  tenderness,  as  she  admitted  the  agreeable  conviction, 
that,  had  she  not  been  in  Porto  Ferrajo,  Raoul  Yvard  would 
never  have  incurred  such  risks. 

Ghita  delle  Torri,  or  Ghita  of  the  Towers,  as  the  girl  was 
ordinarily  termed  by  those  who  knew  her,  from  a  circum 
stance  in  her  situation  that  will  appear  as  we  advance  in  the 
tale,  or  Ghita  Caraccioli,  as  was  her  real  name,  had  been 
an  orphan  from  infancy.  She  had  imbibed  a  strength  of 
character  and  a  self-reliance,  from  her  condition,  that  might 
otherwise  have  been  wanting,  in  one  so  young,  and  of  a 
native  disposition  so  truly  gentle.  An  aunt  had  impressed 
on  her  mind  the  lessons  of  female  decorum ;  and  her  uncle, 
who  had  abandoned  the  world  on  account  of  a  strong  reli 
gious  sentiment,  had  aided  in  making  her  deeply  devout,  and 
keenly  conscientious.  The  truth  of  her  character  rendered 
her  indisposed  to  the  deception  which  Raoul  was  practising, 
while  feminine  weakness  inclined  her  to  forgive  the  offence, 
in  the  motive.  She  had  shuddered  again  and  again,  as  she 
remembered  how  deeply  the  young  sailor  was  becoming 
involved  in  frauds, — and  frauds,  too,  that  might  so  easily 
terminate  in  violence  and  bloodshed  ;  and  then  she  had 
trembled  under  the  influence  of  a  gentler  emotion,  as  she 
remembered  that  all  these  risks  were  run  for  her.  Her 
9* 


102  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

reason  had  long  since  admonished  her  that  Raoul  Yvard 
and  Ghita  Caraccioli  ought  to  be  strangers  to  each  other; 
but  her  heart  told  a  different  story.  The  present  was  an 
occasion  suited  to  keeping  these  conflicting  feelings  keenly 
alive,  and,  as  has  been  said,  when  most  of  the  others 
hastened  down  towards  the  port  to  be  present  when  the 
Wing-And-Wing  came  in,  she  remained  on  the  hill,  brood 
ing  over  her  own  thoughts,  much  of  the  time  bathed  in  tears. 

But  Raoul  had  no  intention  of  trusting  his  Jack-o'-Lantern 
where  it  might  so  readily  be  extinguished  by  the  hand  of 
man.  Instead  of  taking  shelter  against  any  new  roving 
republican  who  might  come  along,  behind  the  buildings  of 
the  port,  as  had  been  expected,  he  shot  past  the  end  of  the 
quay,  and  anchored  within  a  few  fathoms  of  the  very  spot 
ho  had  quitted  that  morning,  merely  dropping  his  kedge 
under  foot,  as  before.  Then  he  stepped  confidently  into  his 
boat,  and  pulled  for  the  landing. 

"  Eh,  Signor  Capitano,"  cried  Vito  Viti,  as  he  met  his 
new  protege  with  an  air  of  cordiality,  as  soon  as  the  foot  of 
the  latter  touched  the  shore,  "  we  looked  for  the  pleasure 
of  receiving  you  into  our  bosom,  as  it  were,  here  in  the  haven. 
How  ingeniously  you  led  off  that  sans  culotte,  this  morning! 
Ah,  the  Inglese  afe  the  great  nation  of  the  ocean,  Colombo 
notwithstanding!  The  vice-governatore  told  me  all  about 
your  illustrious  female  admiral,  Elisabetta,  and  the  Spanish 
armada  ;  and  there  was  Nelsoni ;  and  now  we  have  Smees!" 

Raoul  accepted  these  compliments,  both  national  and  per 
sonal,  in  a  very  gracious  manner,  squeezing  the  hand  of  the 
podesta  with  suitable  cordiality  and  condescension,  acting 
the  great  man  as  if  accustomed  to  this  sort  of  incense  from 
infancy.  As  became  his  public  situation,  as  well  as  hig 
character,  he  proposed  paying  his  duty  immediately  to  the 
superior  authorities  of  the  island. 

"  King  George,  my  master,"  continued  Raoul,  as  he  and 
Vito  Viti  walked  from  the  quay  towards  the  residence  of 
Andrea  Barrofaldi,  "  is  particularly  pointed  on  this  subject, 
with  us  all,  in  his  personal  orders.  '  Never  enter  a  port  of 
one  of  my  allies,  Smeet,'  he  said,  the  very  last  time  I  took 
leave  of  him,  « without  immediately  hastening  with  your 
duty  to  the  commandant  of  the  place.  You  never  lose  any« 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  103 

thing  by  being  liberal  of  politeness ;  and  England  is  too 
polished  a  country  to  be  outdone  in  these  things,  by  even  the 
Italians,  the  parents  of  modern  civilization.'  " 

"  You  are  happy  in  having  such  a  sovrano,  and  still  more 
so  in  being  allowed  to  approach  his  sacred  person." 

"  Oh !  as  to  the  last,  the  navy  is  his  pet ;  he  considers  us 
captains,  in  particular,  as  his  children.  '  Never  enter  Lon 
don,  my  dear  Smeet,'  he  said  to  me,  '  without  coming  to  the 
palace,  where  you  will  always  find  a  father' — you  know  he 
has  one  son  among  us  who  was  lately  a  captain,  as  well  as 
myself," 

"  San  Stefano  !  and  he  the  child  of  a  great  king !  I  did 
not  know  that,  I  confess,  Signore." 

"  Why,  it  is  a  law,  in  England,  that  the  king  shall  give 
at  least  one  son  to  the  marine.  *  Yes,'  said  his  Majesty, 
*  always  be  prompt  in  calling  on  the  superior  authorities, 
and  remember  me  benevolently  and  affectionately  to  them, 
one  and  all,  even  down  to  the  subordinate  magistrates,  who 
live  in  their  intimacy." 

Raoul  delighted  in  playing  the  part  he  was  now  perform 
ing,  but  he  was  a  little  addicted  to  over-acting  it.  Like  all 
exceedingly  bold  and  decided  geniuses,  he  was  constantly 
striding  across  that  step  which  separates  the  sublime  from 
the  ridiculous,  and  consequently  ran  no  small  hazard  in  the 
way  of  discovery.  But  with  Vito  Viti  he  incurred  little 
risk  on  this  score,  provincial  credulity  and  a  love  of  the 
marvellous  coming  in  aid  of  his  general  ignorance,  to  render 
him  a  safe  depository  of  anything  of  this  sort  that  the  other 
might  choose  to  advance.  Vito  Viti  felt  it  to  be  an  honour  to 
converse  with  a  man  who,  in  his  turn,  had  conversed  with  a 
king ;  and  as  he  puffed  his  way  up  the  steep  ascent  again, 
he  did  not  fail  to  express  some  of  the  feelings  which  were 
glowing  in  his  breast. 

"  Is  it  not  a  happiness  to  serve  such  a  prince  ?"  he  ex 
claimed — "  nay,  to  die  for  him  !" 

"  The  latter  is  a  service  I  have  not  yet  performed,"  an 
swered  Raoul,  inr.Dcently,  "  but  which  may  one  day  well 
happen.  Do  you  not  think,  podesta,  that  he  who  lays  down 
his  life  for  his  prince  merits  canonization  ?" 

"  That  would  fill  the  calendar  too  soon,  in  these  wars, 
Signor  Smees ;  but  I  will  concede  you  the  generals  and  ad- 


104  LE.FEU-FOLLET 

mirals,  and  other  great  personages.  Si  —  a  general  or  an 
admiral  who  dies  for  his  sovereign,  does  deserve  to  be  made 
a  saint  —  this  would  leave  these  miserable  French  republi 
cans,  Signore,  without  hope  or  honour !" 

"They  are  canaille,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  and 
can  reasonably  expect  nothing  better.  If  they  wish  to  be 
canonized,  let  them  restore  the  Bourbons,  and  put  themselves 
lawfully  in  the  way  of  such  a  blessing.  The  chase  of  this 
morning,  Signor  Vito  Viti,  must,  at  least,  have  amused  the 
town?" 

The  podesta  wanted  but  this  opening  to  pour  out  a  history 
of  his  own  emotions,  sensations  and  raptures.  He  expatiated 
in  glowing  terms  on  the  service  the  lugger  had  rendered  the 
place  by  leading  off  the  rascally  republicans,  showing  that  he 
considered  the  manosuvre  of  passing  the  port,  instead  of 
entering  it,  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  of  which  he  had 
ever  heard,  or  even  read. 

"  I  defied  the  vice-governatore  to  produce  an  example  of 
a  finer  professional  inspiration  in  the  whole  range  of  history, 
beginning  with  his  Tacitus,  and  ending  with  your  new  Eng-" 
lish  work  on  Roma.  I  doubt  if  the  Elder  Pliny,  or  Mark 
Antony,  or  even  Csesar,  ever  did  a  finer  thing,  Signore ;  and 
I  am  not  a  man  addicted  to  extravagance,  in  compliments. 
Had  it  been  a  fleet  of  vessels  of  three  decks,  instead  of  a 
little  lugger,  Christendom  would  have  rung  with  the  glory 
of  the  achievement !" 

"  Had  it  been  but  a  frigate,  my  excellent  friend,  the  ma 
noeuvre  would  have  been  unnecessary.  Peste !  it  is  not  a 
single  republican  ship  that  can  make  a  stout  English  frigate 
skulk  along  the  rocks,  and  fly  like  a  thief  at  night." 

"  Ah,  there  is  the  vice-governatore  walking  on  his  terrace, 
Sir  Smees,  and  dying  with  impatience  to  greet  you.  We 
will  drop  the  subject,  for  another  occasion,  and  a  bottle  of 
good  Florence  liquor." 

The  reception  which  Andrea  Barrofaldi  gave  Raoul,  was 
far  less  warm  than  that  he  received  from  the  podesta,  though 
it  was  polite,  and  without  any  visible  signs  of  distrust. 

"  I  have  come,  Signor  Vice-governatore,"  said  the  priva- 
teersman,  "  in  compliance  with  positive  orders  from  my 
master,  to  pay  my  respects  to  you  again,  and  to  report  my 
arrival  once  more,  in  your  bay,  though  the  cruise  made 


LE     FEU-TOILET. 

since  my  last  departure  has  not  been  so  lon#  as  an  East 
India  voyage." 

44  Short  as  it  has  been,  we  should  have  reason  to  regret 
your  absence,  Signore,  were  it  not  for  the  admirable  proofs 
it  has  afforded  us  of  your  resources  and  seamanship,"  re 
turned  Andrea  with  due  complaisance.  "  To  own  the  truth, 
when  I  saw  you  depart,  it  was  with  the  apprehension  that  we 
should  never  enjoy  this  satisfaction  again.  But,  like  your 
English  Sir  Cicero,  the  second  coming  may  prove  even  more 
agreeable  than  the  first." 

Raoul  laughed,  and  he  even  had  the  grace  to  blush  a 
little;  after  which  he  appeared  to  reflec*  intensely  on  some 
matter  of  moment.  Smiles  struggled  round  his  handsome 
mouth,  and  then  he  suddenly  assumed  an  air  of  sailor-like 
frankness,  and  disclosed  his  passing  sensations  in  words. 

"  Signer  Vice-governatore,  I  ask  the  favour  of  one  mo 
ment's  private  conference;  Signor  Vito  Viti,  give  us  leave 
a  single  moment,  if  you  please.  I  perceive,  Signore,"  con 
tinued  Raoul,  as  he  and  Andrea  walked  a  little  aside,  "  that 
you  have  not  easily  forgotten  my  little  fanfaronade  about 
our  English  Cicero.  But  what  will  you  have? — we  sailors 
are  sent  to  sea  children,  and  we  know  little  of  books.  My 
excellent  father,  Milord  Smeet,  had  me  put  in  a  frigate  when 
I  was  only  twelve,  an  age  at  which  one  knows  very  little 
of  Ciceros,  or  Dantes,  or  Corneilles,  even,  as  you  will 
confess.  Thus,  when  I  found  myself  in  the  presence  of  a 
gentleman  whose  reputation  for  learning  has  reached  far 
beyond  the  island  he  so  admirably  governs,  a  silly  ambition 
has  led  me  into  a  folly  that  he  finds  it  hard  to  forgive.  If  I 
have  talked  of  names  of  which  I  know  nothing,  it  may  be  a 
weakness,  such  as  young  men  will  fall  into ;  but  surely  it  is 
no  heinous  crime." 

"  You  allow,  Signore,  that  there  has  been  no  English  Sir 
Cicero  ?" 

"  The  truth  compels  me  to  say,  I  know  nothing  about  it. 
But  it  is  hard  for  a  very  young  man,  and  one,  too,  that  feels 
his  deficiencies  of  education,  to  admit  all  this  to  a  philoso 
pher,  on  a  first  acquaintance.  It  becomes  a  different  thing, 
when  natural  modesty  is  encouraged  by  a  familiar  goodness 
of  heart ;  and  a  day's  acquaintance  with  the  Signor  Barro 
faldi,  is  as  much  as  a  year  with  an  ordinary  man." 


100  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

*'  If  this  be  the  case,  Sir  Smces,  1  can  readily  understand, 
and  as  willingly  overlook  what  has  passed,"  returned  the 
vice-gov  .^rnatore,  with  a  self-complacency  that  in  nothing 
Tell  short  of  that  which  Vito  Viti  had  so  recently  exhibited. 
"  It  must  be  painful,  to  a  sensitive  mind,  to  feel  the  defi 
ciencies  which  unavoidably  accompany  the  want  of  opportu 
nities  for  study  ;  and  I,  at  least,  can  now  say  how  delightful 
it  is  to  witness  the  ingenuousness  which  admits  it.  Then, 
if  England  has  never  possessed  a  Cicero,  in  name,  doubtless 
she  has  had  many  in  qualifications,  after  allowing  for  the 
halo  which  time  ever  throws  around  a  reputation.  Should 
your  duty  often  call  you  this  way»  Signore,  during  this 
summer,  it  will  add  to  the  pleasure  I  experience  in  enjoying 
the  advantage  of  your  acquaintance,  to  be  permitted,  in  some 
slight  degree,  to  direct  your  reading  to  such  works,  as,  with 
a  mind  like  yours,  will  be  certain  to  lead  to  profit  and  plea 
sure." 

Raoul  made  a  suitable  acknowledgment  for  this  offer,  and 
from  that  moment  the  best  understanding  existed  between 
the  parties.  The  privateersman,  who  had  received  a  much 
better  education  than  he  pretended  to,  and  who  was  a  con 
summate  actor,  as  well  as,  on  certain  occasions,  a  practised 
flatterer,  determined  to  be  more  cautious  in  future,  sparing 
his  literary  conjectures,  whatever  liberties  he  might  take 
with  other  subjects.  And  yet  this  reckless  and  daring  man 
ner  never  flattered  nor  deceived  Ghita  in  anything !  With 
her  he  had  been  all  sincerity,  the  influence  he  had  obtained 
over  the  feelings  of  that  pure-minded  girl,  being  as  much  the 
result  of  the  nature  and  real  feeling  he  had  manifested,  as  of 
his  manly  appearance  and  general  powers  of  pleasing.  It 
would  have  been,  indeed,  matter  of  interesting  observation, 
for  one  curious  in  the  study  of  human  nature,  to  note  how 
completely  the  girl's  innocence  and  simplicity  of  character 
had  extended  itself  over  every  act  of  the  young  man,  that 
was  any  way  connected  with  her,  preventing  his  even  feign 
ing  that  religion  which  he  certainly  did  not  feel,  and  the 
•want  of  which  was  the  sole  obstacle  to  the  union  he  had 
now  solicited  for  near  a  twelvemonth,  and  which,  of  all  others, 
was  the  object  by  far  the  closest  to  his  heart.  With  Andrea 
Barrofaldi,  and  Vito  Viti,  and  most  especially  with  the  hated 
English,  it  was  a  very  different  thing,  however ;  and  seldom 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  107 

was  Raoul  happier,  than  when  he  was  employed  in  precisely 
such  a  scene  of  mystification  as  that  in  which  he  was  at 
that  moment  engaged. 

The  vice-governatore  having  established  relations  so  com 
pletely  amicable  with  the  '  Signor  Smees,'  could  do  no  less 
than  invite  his  guest  to  enter  the  palazzo,  along  with  him 
self  and  the  podesta.  As  it  was  yet  too  /ight  for  the  sailor 
to  seek  an  interview  with  Ghita,  he  cheerfully  accepted  the 
offer ;  making  a  careful  examination  of  the  whole  of  the 
northern  margin  of  the  sea,  from  his  elevated  position,  how 
ever,  before  he  crossed  the  threshold.  This  little  delay,  on 
Raoul's  part,  enabled  the  podesta  to  have  a  passing  word 
with  his  friend  unobserved. 

"  You  have  found  { Sir  Smees,' "  said  Vito  Viti,  with 
earnestness,  "  all  that  your  wisdom  and  prudence  could 
desire,  I  trust  1  For  my  part,  I  consider  him  a  most  inter 
esting  youth ;  one  destined,  at  some  future  time,  to  lead  fleets, 
and  dispose  of  the  fortunes  of  nations." 

"  He  is  more  amiable,  and  even  better  informed,  than  I 
had  thought,  neighbour  Vito  Viti.  He  gives  up  his  Sif 
Cicero  with  a  grace  that  causes  one  regret  it  was  necessary ; 
and,  like  yourself,  I  make  no  doubt  of  his  becoming  an  illus 
trious  admiral,  in  time.  It  is  true,  his  father,  « Milordo 
Smees,'  has  not  done  justice  to  his  education ;  but  it  is  not 
too  late,  yet,  to  repair  that  evil.  Go,  desire  him  to  enter; 
for  I  am  impatient  to  draw  his  attention  to  certain  works 
that  may  be  useful  to  one  in  his  line  of  life." 

At  this  suggestion  the  podesta  returned  to  the  door,  in 
order  to  usher  the  imaginary  Guernsey-man  into  the  resi 
dence.  He  found  Raoul  still  standing  on  the  entrance, 
examining  the  sea.  There  were  two  or  three  coasters, 
ieluccas,  as  usual,  stealing  along  the  coast,  in  the  Italian 
fashion,  equally  afraid  of  the  barbarians  of  the  south  she  re, 
and  of  the  French  of  the  north.  All  these  would  have  been 
good  prizes ;  but,  to  do  the  privateersman  justice,  he  was 
little  in  the  habit  of  molesting  mariners  of  so  low  a  class. 
There  was  one  felucca,  however,  that  was  just  rounding  the 
promontory,  coming  in  from  the  north ;  and  with  the  people 
of  this  craft  he  determined  to  have  some  communication  as 
soon  as  he  returned  to  the  port,  with  a  view  to  ascertain  if 
she  had  fallen  in  with  the  frigate.  Just  as  he  had  come  to 


108  LE     PEU-FOLLET. 

this  resolution,  the  podesta  joined  him,  and  he  was  ushered 
into  the  house.  . 

It  is  unnecessary  to  give  the  discourse  which  succeeded. 
It  related  more  to  literature  and  matters  in  general,  than  to 
anything  connected  with  our  tale,  the  worthy  vice-governa- 
tore  being  disposed  to  reward  the  ingenuousness  of  the  young 
sailor,  by  furnishing  him  as  much  instruction  as  the  time 
and  circumstances  would  allow.  Raoul  bore  this  very  well, 
waiting  patiently  for  the  light  to  disappear,  when  he  felt  a 
perfect  confidence  of  again  meeting  Ghita  on  the  promenade. 
As  he  had  discovered  how  much  more  safety  there  was  in 
diffidence  than  in  pretension,  he  found  his  task  of  deception 
comparatively  easy ;  and  by  letting  the  vice-governatore 
have  his  own  way,  he  not  only  succeeded  in  gaining  that 
functionary  over  to  a  full  belief  in  his  assumed  nationality, 
but  in  persuading  him  to  believe  the  '  Signer  Smees'  a  young 
man  of  even  more  erudition  than  he  had  at  first  supposed. 
By  means  as  simple  and  natural  as  these,  Raoul  made  more 
progressv  in  the  good  graces  of  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  in  the 
next  two  hours,  than  he  could  have  done  in  a  year,  by 
setting  up  his  own  knowledge  and  reading  as  authority. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  vice-governatore  found  this 
interview  agreeable,  from  the  time  he  was  disposed  to  waste 
on  it ;  and,  it  is  certain,  Raoul  thought  it  some  of  the  hardest 
duty  in  which  he  had  ever  been  engaged.  As  for  Vito  Viti, 
he  was  edified,  and  he  did  not  care  to  conceal*  it,  giving  fre 
quent  manifestations  of  his  satisfaction,  by  expressions  of 
delight ;  occasionally  venturing  a  remark,  as  if  expressly  to 
betray  his  own  ignorance. 

"  I  have  often  known  you  great,  vice-governatore,"  he 
cried,  when  Andrea  had  closed  a  dissertation  on  the  earlier 
history  of  all  the  northern  nations,  which  lasted  fully  half- 
an-hour,  "  but  never  so  great  as  you  are  to-night !  Signore, 
you  have  been  most  illustrious,  this  evening  !  Is  it  not  so, 
Signer  Smees  ?  Could  any  professor  of  Pisa,  or  even  of 
Padua,  do  more  justice  to  a  subject,  than  we  have  seen  done 
to  this  to  which  we  have  been  listening  ?" 

"  Signer  Podesta,"  added  Raoul,  "  but  one  feeling  has 
prevailed,  in  my  mind,  while  attending  to  what  has  been 
said  ;  and  that  has  been  deep  regret  that  my  profession  has 
cut  me  off  from  all  these  rich  stores  of  profound  thought. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  109 

But  it  is  permitted  us  to  admire  that  even  which  we  cannot 
imitate." 

"  Quite  true,  Signori,"  answered  Andrea,  with  gentle 
benevolence,  "  but  with  dispositions  like  yours,  Sir  Smees, 
it  is  not  so  very  difficult  to  imitate  what  we  admire.  I  will 
write  out  a  list  of  works,  which  I  would  recommend  to  your 
perusal ;  and,  by  touching  at  Livorno,  or  Napoli,  you  will 
obtain  all  the  books  at  reasonable  prices.  You  may  expect 
to  see  the  list  on  your  breakfast-table  to-morrow  morning, 
as  I  shall  not  sleep  until  it  is  completed." 

Raoul  gladly  seized  upon  this  promise  as  a  hint  to  depart, 
and  he  took  his  leave  with  suitable  acknowledgments  of 
gratitude  and  delight.  When  he  got  out  of  the  palazzo, 
however,  he  gave  a  long,  low  whistle,  like  a  man  who  felt 
he  had  escaped  from  a  scene  in  which  persecution  had  been 
a  little  lightened  by  the  ridiculous,  and  uttered  a  few  curses 
on  the  nations  of  the  north,  for  being  so  inconsiderate  as  to 
have  histories  so  much  longer  and  more  elaborate  than  he 
conceived  to  be  at  all  necessary.  All  this  passed  as  he 
hastened  along  the  promenade,  which  he  found  deserted, 
every  human  being  having  apparently  left  it.  At  length  he 
thought  he  perceived  a  female  form  some  distance  ahead  of 
him,  and  in  a  part  of  the  walk  that  was  never  much  fre 
quented.  Hastening  towards  it,  his  quick  eye  discerned  the 
person  of  her  he  sought,  evidently  waiting  for  his  approach. 

"  Raoul,"  exclaimed  Ghita,  reproachfully,  "  in  what  will 
these  often-repeated  risks  finally  end  7  When  so  fairly  and 
cleverly  out  of  the  harbour  of  Porto  Ferrajo,  why  did  you 
not  possess  the  prudence  to  remain  there  ?" 

"Thou  know'st  the  reason,  Ghita,  and  why  ask  this 
question  ?  San  Nettuno  !  was  it  not  handsomely  done ;  and 
is  not  this  brave  vice-governatore  rarely  mystified  ! — I  some- 
times  think,  Ghita,  I  have  mistaken  my  vocation,  which 
should  have  been  that  of  a  diplomate." 

"  And  why  a  diplomate,  in  particular,  Raoul  —  thou  art 
too  honest  to  deceive  long,  whatever  thou  may'st  do  on  an 
occasion  like  this,  and  in  a  pressing  emergency." 

"  Why?  — but,  no  matter.     This  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  and 
this  Vito  Viti,  will  one  day  know  why.     And  now  to  our 
business,  Ghita,  since  le  Feu-Follet  cannot  always  decorate 
the  bay  o<*  Porto  Ferrajo." 
10 


110  LE    FEU-FOLLET  . 

"  True,"  interrupted  the  girl,  "  and  I  have  come  for  no 
other  purpose  than  to  say  as  much  myself.  My  dear  uncle 
has  arrived,  and  he  intends  to  sail  for  the  Torri  with  the  first 
felucca." 

"  There !  —  this  has  done  more  to  make  me  believe  in  a 
Providence,  than  all  the  preaching  of  all  the  padri  of  Italy ! 
Here  is  the  lugger  to  take  the  place  of  the  felucca,  and  we 
can  sail  this  very  night.  My  cabin  shall  be  yours  entirely 
and  with  your  uncle  for  a  protector,  no  one  can  raise  an 
evil  tongue  against  the  step." 

Ghita,  to  own  the  truth,  expected  this  very  offer,  which, 
agreeable  as  it  was,  her  sense  of  propriety  would  certainly 
have  prevented  her  from  accepting,  but  for  one  considera 
tion  :  it  might  be  made  the  means  of  getting  Raoul  out  of 
an  enemy's  port ;  and,  in  so  much,  out  of  harm's  way.  This, 
with  one  of  her  affectionate  heart,  was  an  object  to  which 
she  would  have  sacrificed  appearances  of  even  a  graver 
character.  We  do  not  wish  the  reader,  however,  to  get  a 
false  impression  of  this  girl's  habits  and  education.  Although 
the  latter,  in  many  particulars,  was  superior  to  that  received 
by  most  young  women  of  her  class  in  life,  the  former  were 
simple,  and  suited  to  her  station,  as  well  as  to  the  usages  of 
her  country.  She  had  not  been  brought  up  with  that  severe 
restraint  which  regulates  the  deportment  of  the  young  Italian 
females  of  condition,  perhaps,  in  a  degree  just  as  much  too 
severely,  as  it  leaves  the  young  American  too  little  re 
strained  ;  but  she  had  been  taught  all  that  decorum  and 
delicacy  required,  either  for  the  beautiful  or  the  safe ;  and 
her  notions  inculcated  the  inexpediency,  if  not  the  impro 
priety,  of  one  in  her  situation  taking  a  passage  in  a  privateer 
at  all,  and  particularly  so  in  one  commanded  by  an  avowed 
lover.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  distance  between  Porto 
Ferrajo  and  the  Towers,  was  only  about  fifty  miles,  and  a 
few  hours  would  suffice  to  place  her  in  safety  beneath  her 
own  roof;  and,  what  was  of  more  importance,  in  her  view, 
just  then,  Raoul  in  safety  along  with  her.  On  all  this  had 
she  pondered,  and  she  was  consequently  prepared  with  an 
answer  to  the  proposal  that  had  just  been  made. 

"  If  my  uncle  and  myself  could  accept  this  generous  offer 
when  would  it  be  convenient  for  you  to  sail,  Raoul  ?"  the 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  Ill 

girl  demanded ;  "  we  have  now  been  absent  longer  than  wo 
intended,  and  longer  than  we  ought." 

"  Within  an  hour,  if  there  were  any  wind.  But  you  see 
how  it  is,  Ghita — the  zephyr  has  done  blowing,  and  it  now 
seems  as  if  every  fan  of  Italy  had  gone  to  sleep.  You  can 
depend  on  our  sailing  the  instant  it  shall  be  in  our  power. 
At  need,  we  will  use  the  sweeps." 

"  I  will,  then,  see  my  uncle,  and  mention  to  him  that  there 
is  a  vessel  about  to  sail,  in  which  we  had  better  embark. 
Is  it  not  odd,  Raoul,  that  he  is  profoundly  ignorant  of  your 
being  in  the  bay?  He  gets  more  and  more  lost  to  things 
around  him  every  day,  and  I  do  believe  he  does  not  recollect 
that  you  command  an  enemy's  vessel  half  the  time." 

"  Let  him  trust  to  me ;  he  shall  never  have  occasion  to 
know  it,  Ghita." 

"  We  are  assured  of  that,  Raoul.  The  generous  manner 
in  which  you  interposed  to  save  us  from  the  corsair  of  the 
Algerines,  which  began  our  acquaintance,  and  for  which  we 
shall  always  have  occasion  to  bless  you,  has  made  peace 
between  you  and  MS,  for  ever.  But  for  your  timely  succour, 
last  summer,  my  uncle  and  myself  would  now  have  been 
slaves  with  barbarians !" 

"  That  is  another  thing  that  inclines  me  to  believe  in  a 
Providence,  Ghita  !  Little  did  I  know,  when  rescuing  you 
and  your  good  kinsman  from  the  boat  of  the  Algerine,  who  I 
was  saving.  And  yet,  you  see  how  all  has  come  to  pass,  and 
that  in  serving  you  I  have  merely  been  serving  myself." 

"  Would  that  thou  could'st  learn  to  serve  that  God,  who 
disposes  of  us  all  at  his  holy  pleasure!"  murmured  Ghita, 
tears  forcing  themselves  to  her  eyes,  and  a  convulsive  effort 
alone  suppressing  the  deep  emotion  with  which  she  uttered 
the  words ;  "  but  we  thank  thee  again  and  again,  Raoul,  as 
the  instrument  of  his  mercy,  in  the  affair  of  the  Algerine, 
and  are  willing  to  trust  to  thee  now,  and  always.  It  will  be 
easy  to  induce  my  uncle  to  embark ;  but,  as  he  knows  thy 
real  character,  when  he  chooses  to  recollect  it,  I  hardly 
.think  it  will  do  to  say  with  whom.  We  must  arrange  an 
hour,  and  a  place  to  meet,  when  I  will  see  to  his  being  there, 
and  in  readiness.'* 

Raoul  and  Ghita  next  discussed  the  little  details ;  a  place 
of  rendezvous  without  the  town,  a  short  distance  below  the 


112  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

wine-house  of  Benedetta,  being  selected,  in  preference  to 
choosing  one  that  would  necessarily  subject  them  to  obser 
vation.  This  portion  of  the  arrangements  was  soon  settled, 
and  then  Ghita  thought  it  prudent  to  separate.  In  this  pro 
posal  her  companion  acquiesced  with  a  better  grace  than  he 
might  have  done,  had  he  not  the  girl's  assurance  of  meeting 
him  within  an  hour,  in  order  that  everything  might  be  ready 
for  a  start,,  with  the  first  appearance  of  wind. 

When  left  alone,  Raoul  bethought  him  that  Ithuel  and 
Filippo  were  on  shore,  as  usual ;  the  New-Hampshire  man 
consenting  to  serve  only  on  condition  of  being  allowed  to 
land  ;  a  privilege  he  always  abused  by  driving  a  contraband 
trade,  on  occasions  like  the  present.  So  great  was  the  fel 
low's  dexterity  in  such  matters,  that  Raoul,  who  disdained 
smuggling,  while  he  thought  himself  compelled  to  wink  at  it 
in  others,  had  less  apprehensions  of  his  committing  the  lugger, 
than  he  might  have  felt  in  the  case  of  one  less  cunning. 
But  it  was  now  necessary  to  get  these  two  men  off,  or  aban 
don  them ;  and  fortunately  remembering  the  name  of  the 
wine-house  where  they  had  taken  their  potations  the  previous 
night,  he  repaired  to  it  without  delay,  luckily  finding  Ithuel 
and  his  interpreter  deep  in  the  discussion  of  another  flask  of 
the  favourite  Tuscan  beverage.  'Maso  and  his  usual  com 
panions  were  present  also,  and  there  being  nothing  unusual 
in  the  commander  of  an  English  ship  of  war's  liking  good 
liquor,  Raoul,  to  prevent  suspicion,  drew  a  chair,  and  asked 
for  his  glass.  By  the  conversation  that  followed,  the  young 
privateersman  felt  satisfied  that,  though  he  might  have  suc 
ceeded  in  throwing  dust  into  the  eyes  of  the  vice-governa- 
tore  and  the  podesta,  these  experienced  old  seamen  still 
distrusted  his  character.  It  was  so  unusual  a  thing  for  a 
French  frigate,  while  it  was  so  usual  for  an  English  frigate, 
to  be  standing  along  the  coast,  near  in,  that  these  mariners, 
who  were  familiar  with  all  such  matters,  had  joined  this 
circumstance  to  the  suspicious  signs  about  the  lugger,  and 
were  strongly  disposed  to  believe  the  truth  concerning  both 
vessels.  To  all  this,  however,  Raoul  was  more  indifferent 
than  he  might  have  been,  but  for  the  arrangement  to  sail  so 
soon.  He  took  his  wine,  therefore,  with  apparent  indiffe 
rence,  and,  in  proper  season,  withdrew,  carrying  with  him 
Ithuel  and  the  Genoese. 


LE    FEU-FOLLET 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


"Within  our  bay,  one  stormy  night, 
The  isle's  men  saw  boats  make  for  shore, 
With  here  and  there  a  dancing  light 
That  flash'd  on  man  and  oar. 

When  hailed,  the  rowing  stopp'd,  and  all  was  dark. 
Ha  !  lantern  work !  —  We  '11  home !     They  're  playing  shark  " 

DANA. 

IT  was  dark  when  Raoul  quitted  the  government-house, 
leaving  Andrea  Barrofaldi  and  Vito  Viti,  in  the  library  of 
the  former.  No  sooner  was  the  young  seaman's  back 
turned,  than  the  vice-governatore,  who  was  in  a  humour  to 
display  his  acquirements,  resumed  a  discussion  that  he  had 
found  so  agreeable  to  his  self-esteem. 

"  It  is  easy  to  see,  good  Vito  Viti,  that  this  young  Ingleso 
is  a  gentleman  of  noble  birth,  though  not  of  a  liberal  educa 
tion,"  he  said ;  "  doubtless,  his  father,  Milordo  Smees,  has 
a  large  family,  and  the  usages  of  England  are  different  from 
those5  of  Italy,  in  respect  to  birth-right.  There,  the  eldest 
son,  alone,  inherits  the  honours  of  the  family,  while  the 
cadets  are  put  into  the  army  and  navy,  to  earn  new  distinc 
tions.  Nelsoni  is  the  son  of  a  priest,  I  hear — " 

"  Cospetto  !  of  a  padre  !  Signor  Vice-governatore,"  inter 
rupted  the  podesta — "  it  is  most  indecent  to  own  it.  A  priest 
must  be  possessed  of  the  devil,  himself,  to  own  his  issue ; 
though  issue  he  may  certainly  have." 

"  There,  again,  good  Vito,  it  is  different  with  the  Luteram 
and  us  Catholics.  The  priests  of  England,  you  will  please 
to  remember,  marry,  while  ours  do  not." 

"  I  should  not  like  to  be  shrived  by  such  a  padre  !  —  The 
man  would  be  certain  to  tell  his  wife  all  I  confessed ;  and 
the  saints  could  only  say  what  would  be  the  end  on  't. 
Porto  Ferrajo  would  soon  be  too  hot  to  hold  an  honest  man- 
ay,  or  even  an  honest  woman,  in  the  bargain." 

"  But  the  Luterani  do  not  confess,  and  are  never  shrived 
at  all,  you  will  remember." 
10* 


114  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

"  San  Stefano !  —  How  do  they  expect,  then,  ever  to  get 
to  heaven  1" 

"  I  will  not  answer  that  they  do,  friend  Vito — and  we  are 
certain,  that  if  they  have  such  expectations,  they  must  be 
most  treacherous  to  them.  But,  talking  of  this  Sir  Smees, 
you  perceive  in  his  air  and  manner,  the  finesse  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  race ;  which  is  a  people  altogether  distinct  from  the 
ancient  Gauls,  both  in  history  and  characters.  Pietro 
Giannone,  in  his  Storia  Civile  del  Regno  di  Napoli,  speaks 
of  the  Normans,  who  were  a  branch  of  these  adventurers, 
with  great  interest  and  particularity  ;  and  I  think  I  can  trace, 
in  this  youth,  some  of  the  very  peculiarities  that  are  so  ad 
mirably  delineated  in  his  well-told,  but  too  free,  writings. — 
Well,  Pietro  ;  I  was  not  speaking  of  thee,  but  of  a  namesake 
of  thine,  of  the  family  of  Giannona,  an  historian  of  Naples, 
of  note  and  merit — what  is  thy  will?" 

This  question  was  put  to  a  servant,  who  entered  at  that 
moment,  holding  in  his  hand  a  piece  of  paper,  which  he 
desired  to  lay  before  his  master. 

"  A  cavaliere  is  without,  Signor  Andrea,  who  asks  the' 
honour  of  an  audience,  and  who  sends  in  his  name,  as  your 
eccellenza  will  find  it  on  this  paper." 

The  vice-governatore  took  the  slip  of  paper,  and  read 
aloud ;  "  Edward  Griffin,  tenente  della  marina  Inglesa." 

"  Ah  !  here  is  an  officer  sent  from  '  ze  Ving-y-Ving',  with 
some  communication,  friend  Vito  ;  it  is  fortunate  you  are 
still  here,  to  hear  what  he  has  to  say.  Show  the  lieutenant 
in,  Pietro." 

One  who  understood  Englishmen  better  than  Andrea 
Barrofaldi,  would  have  been  satisfied,  at  a  glance,  that  he 
who  now  entered  was  really  a  native  of  that  country.  He 
was  a  young  man  of  some  two  or  three  and  twenty,  of  a 
ruddy,  round,  good-natured  face,  wearing  an  undress  coat 
of  the  service  to  which  he  professed  to  belong,  and  whose 
whole  air  and  manner  betrayed  his  profession,  quite  as  much 
as  his  country.  The  salutations  he  uttered  were  in  very- 
respectable  Italian,  familiarity  with  the  language  being  the 
precise  reason  why  he  had  been  selected  for  the  errand  on 
which  he  had  come.  After  these  salutations,  he  put  a  piece 
of  parchment  into  Andrea's  hand,  remarking — 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  115 

"If  you  read  English,  Signore,  you  will  perceive  by  that 
commission  I  am  the  person  I  represent  myself  to  be." 

"  Doubtless,  Signer  Tenente,  you  belong  to  ze  Ving-y- 
Ving,  and  are  a  subordinate  of  Sir  Smees  ?" 

The  young  man  looked  surprised,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
half  disposed  to  laugh  ;  though  a  sense  of  decorum  suppressed 
the  latter  inclination. 

"  I  belong  to  His  Britannic  Majesty's  ship  Proserpine, 
Signore,"  he  drily  answered,  "  and  know  not  what  you 
mean  by  the  Ving-y-Ving.  Captain  Cuffe,  of  that  ship, 
the  frigate  you  saw  off  your  harbour  this  morning,  has  sent 
me  down  in  the  felucca  that  got  in  this  evening,  to  communi 
cate  intelligence  concerning  the  lugger,  which  we  chased  to 
the  southward  about  nine  o'clock,  but  which,  I  see,  is  again 
snug  at  her  anchor  in  this  bay.  Our  ship  was  lying  behind 
Capraya,  when  I  left  her,  but  will  be  here  to  take  me  off, 
and  to  hear  the  news,  before  daylight,  should  the  wind  ever 
blow  again." 

Andrea  Barrofaldi  and  Vito  Viti  stared,  and  that,  too,  as 
if  a  messenger  had  come  from  the  lower  regions  to  summon 
them  away  for  their  misdeeds.  Lieutenant  Griffin  spoke 
unusually  good  Italian,  for  a  foreigner ;  and  his  manner  of 
proceeding  was  so  straight-forward  and  direct,  as  to  carry 
with  it  every  appearance  of  truth. 

"You  do  not  know  what  I  mean  by  ze  Ving-y-Ving ?" 
demanded  the  vice-governatore,  with  emphasis. 

"  To  be  frank  with  you,  I  do  not,  Signore.  Ving-y-Ving 
is  not  English  ;  nor  do  I  know  that  it  is  Italian." 

Mr.  Griffin  lost  a  good  deal  of  ground  by  this  assertion, 
which  implied  a  doubt  of  Andrea's  knowledge  of  foreign 
tongues. 

"  You  say,  Signer  Tenente,  if  I  comprehend  your  mean- 
ing,  that  Ving-y-Ving  is  not  English  ?" 

"  Indeed  I  do,  sir ;  at  least,  no  English  that  I  have  ever 
heard  spoken,  at  sea  or  ashore ;  and  we  seamen  have  a  lan 
guage  of  our  own." 

"  Will  you,  then,  permit  me  to  ask  you  what  is  the  trans 
lation  of  ala  e  ala  ;  word  for  word." 

The  lieutenant  paused  a  moment,  and  pondered.  Then  he 
laughed  involuntarily,  checking  himself  almost  immediately 
vi-ith  an  air  of  respect  and  gravity. 


116  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"I  believe  I  now  understand  you,  Signor  Vice-go\erna« 
tore,"  he  said ;  "  we  have  a  sea-phrase  something  like  this, 
to  describe  a  fore-and-aft  vessel  with  her  sails  swinging  off 
on  both  sides ;  but  we  call  it  wing-and-wing." 

"Si,  Signore  —  ving-y-ving.  Such  is  the  name  of  the 
lugger  of  your  king,  that  now  lies  in  our  bay." 

"  Ah !  we  thought  as  much,  Signori ;  the  scoundrel  has 
deceived  you,  as  he  has  done  a  hundred  before  you,  and 
will  do  to-  a  hundred,  again,  unless  we  catch  him  to-night. 
The  lugger  is  a  celebrated  French  privateer,  that  we  have 
six  cruisers  in  chase  of  at  this  moment,  our  own  ship  in 
cluded.  She  is  called  le  Feu-Follet,  which  is  not  Wing-And- 
Wing,  but  Will-o'-the-Wisp,  or  Jack-o'-Lantern,  in  English ; 
and  which  you,  in  Italian,  would  call  il  Fuoco  Fatuo.  Her 
commander  is  Raoftl  Yvard,  than  whom,  there  is  not  a 
greater  desperado  sailing  out  of  France ;  though  it  is  ad 
mitted  that  the  fellow  has  some  good  —  nay,  some  noble 
qualities." 

At  every  word  uttered  by  the  lieutenant,  a  page  of  history 
was  blotted  out  from  the  memory  of  his  listener.  Thevice- 
governatore  had  heard  the  name  of  Raoul  Yvard,  and  even 
that  of  le  Feu-Follet,  which  the  malignancy  of  a  bitter  war 
had  blackened  nearly  to  the  hues  of  piracy.  The  thought 
that  he  had  been  the  dupe  of  this  corsair — nay,  that  he  had 
actually  been  entertaining  him  with  honours  and  hospitality, 
within  an  hour,  was  nearly  too  much  for  his  philosophy. 
Men  do  not  often  submit  to  such  humiliating  sensations  with 
out  a  struggle ;  and  before  he  would,  or  could,  accord  full 
credence  to  what  was  now  told  him,  it  was  natural  to  oppose 
the  objections  that  first  offered. 

"  All  this  must  be  a  mistake,"  observed  the  vice-governa- 
tore;  "there  are  English,  as  well  as  French  luggers;  and 
this  is  one  of  the  former.  Her  commander  is  a  noble 
English  gentleman,  a  son  of  Milordo  Smees ;  and  though 
his  education  has  been,  in  a  trifling  degree,  neglected,  he 
shows  his  origin  and  national  character  in  all  he  says  and 
does.  Ze  Ving-y-Ving  is  commanded  by  Sir  Smees,  a  young 
officer  of  merit,  as  you  must  have  seen,  yourself,  Signore,  by 
his  evolutions  this  very  morning.  Surely,  you  have  heard 
of  II  Capitano  Sir  Smees,  the  son  of  Milordo  Smees!" 

"  We  do  not  deny  that  his  escape,  this  morning,  was  a 


LB     FEU-  FOLLET  .  117 

clever  thing-,  vice-governatore,  for  the  fellow  is  a  seaman, 
every  inch  of  him  ;  and  he  is  as  brave  as  a  lion :  but,  then, 
he  is  as  impudent  as  a  beggar's  dog.  There  is  no  Sir  Srnees, 
nor  any  Sir  Any-Body  else,  in  command  of  any  of  our  lug 
gers,  anywhere.  In  the  Mediterranean,  we  have  no  cruiser 
of  this  rig  at  all ;  and  the  two  or  three  we  have  elsewhere, 
tire  commanded  by  old  sea-dogs,  who  have  been  brought  up 
in  that  sort  of  craft.  As  for  Sirs,  they  are  scarce  out  here, 
though  the  battle  of  the  Nile  has  made  a  few  of  them,  for 
the  navy.  Then  you  'II  not  often  meet  with  a  nobleman's 
son  in  a  clipper  like  this,  for  that  sort  of  gentry  generally  go 
from  a  frigate's  quarter-deck  into  a  good  sloop,  as  com 
mander,  and  after  a  twelvemonth's  work,  or  sc,  in  the  small 
one,  into  a  fast  frigate  again,  as  a  post-captain." 

Much  of  this  was  gibberish  to  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  but 
Griffin  being  exclusively  naval,  he  fancied  every  one  ought 
to  take  the  same  interest  as  he  did  himself,  in  all  these  mat 
ters.  But,  while  the  vice-governatore  did  not  understand 
more  than  half  of  the  other's  meaning,  that  half  sufficed  to 
render  him  exceedingly  uneasy.  The  natural  manner  of 
the  lieutenant,  too,  carried  conviction  with  it,  while  all  the 
original  impressions  against  the  lugger  were  revived  by  his 
statements. 

"  What  say  you,  Signor  Vito  Viti  ?"  demanded  Andrea  ; 
"  you  have  been  present  at  the  interviews  with  Sir  Smees." 

"  That  we  have  been  deceived  by  one  of  the  most  oily- 
tongued  rogues  that  ever  took  in  honest  men,  if  we  have 
been  deceived  at  all,  vice-governatore.  Last  evening,  I  would 
have  believed  this ;  but  since  the  escape  and  return  of  the 
lugger,  I  could  have  sworn  that  we  had  an  excellent  friend 
and  ally  in  our  bay." 

"  You  had  your  signals,  Signor  Tenente ;  and  that  is  procf 
of  amity  and  understanding." 

"  We  made  our  number,  when  we  saw  the  lugger  with 
an  English  ensign  set,  for  we  did  not  suppose  a  Frenchman 
would  be  quietly  lying  in  a  Tuscan  port ;  but  the  answer  we 
got  was  nonsense;  and  then  we  remembe^ed  to  have  heard 
that  this  Raoul  Yvard  was  in  the  habit  of  playing  such 
tricks,  all  along  the  Italian  coast.  Once  on  the  scent,  we 
were  not  the  men  to  be  easily  thrown  off  it.  You  saw  the 
chase,  and  know  the  result." 


118  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"  There  must  be  some  error  in  all  this  !  Would  it  not  be 
well,  Signore,  to  see  the  commander  of  the  lugger — or  to  go 
on  board  of  her,  and  satisfy  yourself,  with  your  own  eyes, 
of  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  your  surmises  ?  Ten  minutes 
might  clear  up  everything." 

"  Your  pardon,  Signor  Vice-governatore  ;  were  I  to  trust 
myself  on  board  le  Feu-Follet,  I  might  remain  a  prisoner 
until  a  peace  was  made  ;  and  I  have  yet  two  steps  to  gain, 
before  I  can  afford  that  risk.  Then,  as  to  letting  Yvard 
know  of  my  presence  here,  it  would  just  give  him  the  alarm, 
and  cause  us  to  lose  the  bird,  before  we  can  spring  the  net. 
My  orders  are  positive,  not  to  let  any  one  but  the  authorities 
of  the  island,  know  of  my  visit,  or  its  object.  All  we  ask 
of  you  is  to  detain  the  lugger  until  morning ;  then  we  will 
see  to  it,  that  she  will  never  trouble  the  Italian  coast  again." 

"  Nay,  Signore,  we  have  guns  of  our  own,  and  could 
easily  dispose  of  so  small  a  vessel,  once  assured  of  her  being 
an  enemy,"  returned  the  v ice-govern atore,  with  a  little  pride 
and  loftiness  of  manner ;  "  convince  us  of  that  fact,  and 
we  '11  sink  the  lugger  at  her  anchors." 

"  That  is  just  what  we  do  not  wish  you  to  do,  Signore," 
answered  the  lieutenant,  with  interest.  "  From  what  passed 
this  morning,  Captain  Cuffe  has  thought  it  probable  that 
Monsieur  Yvard,  for  some  reason  best  known  to  himself, 
would  come  back  here,  as  soon  as  he  was  rid  of  us ;  or  that, 
finding  himself  on  the  south  side  of  the  island,  he  might  put 
into  Porto  Longone ;  and,  had  I  not  met  him  here,  1  was  to 
get  a  horse,  and  ride  across  to  the  latter  place,  and  make 
my  arrangements  there.  We  wish,  by  all  means,  to  get 
possession  of  the  lugger,  which,  in  smooth  water,  is  the 
fastest  craft  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  would  be  of  infinite 
service  to  us.  We  think  the  Proserpine  would  prove  too 
much  for  her,  blowing  fresh  ;  but,  in  moderate  weather,  she 
will  go  six  feet  to  our  five.  Now,  if  you  open  on  her,  she 
will  either  escape  or  be  sunk  ;  for  Raoul  Yvard  is  not  a  man 
to  strike  to  a  town.  All  I  ask  is  to  be  permitted  to  make 
night-signals,  for  which  I  am  prepared,  as  soon  as  the  frigate 
approaches,  and  that  you  will  throw  all  the  delays,  by  means 
of  forms  and  permits,  in  the  way  of  the  Frenchman's  sailing, 
until  to-morrow  morning.  We  will  answer  for  the  rest." 

"  I  should  think  there  would  be  but  little  danger  of  the 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  119 

lugger's  departing  in  the  night,  Signer  Tenente,  her  com 
mander  rather  expressing  an  intention  of  passing  several 
days  with  us  ;  and  it  is  this  ease  and  confidence  of  his. 
which  causes  me  to  think  he  cannot  be  the  person  you  take 
him  for.  Why  should  Raoul  Yvard  and  le  Feu-Follet  come 
into  Porto  Ferrajo  at  all  ?" 

"  No  one  knows :  it  is  the  man's  habit ;  and  doubtless  he 
has  reasons  for  it.  'Tis  said,  he  has  even  been  in  at 
Gibraltar;  and  it  is  certain,  he  has  cut  several  valuable 
store-ships  out  of  our  convoys.  There  is  an  Austrian  load 
ing  with  iron,  I  perceive,  in  the  harbour;  probably  he  is 
waiting  for  her  to  fill  up,  and  finds  it  easier  to  watch  her  at 
an  anchor,  than  by  lying  outside." 

"  You  naval  gentlemen  have  ways  known  only  to  your 
selves  ;  and  all  this  may  be  so ;  but  it  seems  an  enigma  to 
me.  Have  you  any  other  proofs  of  your  own  character, 
Signor  Tenente,  than  the  commission  you  have  shown  rne? 
for  Sir  Smees,  as  I  have  been  taught  to  call  the  commander 
of  the  lugger,  has  one  too,  that  has  an  air  of  as  much  authen 
ticity  as  this  you  have  shown;  and  he  wears  quite  as 
English-looking  a  uniform  :  how  am  I  to  judge  between 

/».*  w  •*          O 

you  ?" 

"  That  difficulty  has  been  foreseen,  Signor  Vice-governa- 
tore,  and  I  come  well  provided  with  the  necessary  proofs.  I 
handed  you  my  commission,  as  that  is  a  document,  which, 
if  wanting,  might  throw  a  distrust  on  all  other  proofs.  But, 
here  is  a  communication  from  your  superior,  at  Florence, 
recommending  us  to  the  kindness  of  the  authorities  of  all  the 
Tuscan  ports;  which  you  will  readily  understand.  Captain 
Cuffe  has  furnished  me  with  other  proofs ;  which  you  can 
look  over  at  your  leisure." 

Andrea  Barrofaldi  now  set  about  a  cautious  and  delibe 
rate  examination  of  all  the  papers  shown  him.  They  proved 
to  be  of  a  nature  to  remove  every  doubt ;  and  it  was  not 
possible  to  distrust  the  party  that  presented  them.  This 
was  a  great  deal  towards  convicting  the  Signor  Smees  of 
imposition,  though  both  the  vice-governatore  and  the  podestd 
were  of  opinion  that  Captain  Cuffe  might  yet  be  mistaken, 
as  to  the  identity  of  the  lugger. 

"  It  is  impossible,  Signori,"  answered  the  lieutenant ; 
"  We  know  every  English  cruiser  in  these  seas,  by  name 


120  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

and  description,  at  least,  and  most  of  Jhem  by  sight.  This 
is  none ;  and  everything  about  her,  particularly  her  sailing, 
betrays  her  real  name.  We  hear  there  is  a  man  in  her  who 
once  belonged  to  our  own  ship,  a  certain  Ithuel  Bolt — " 

"  Cospetto  !"  exclaimed  the  podesta — "  Then  we  must  set 
down  this  Sir  Smees,  after  all,  for  an  arrant  rogue ;  for  this 
is  the  very  man  we  met  at  Benedetta's,  the  past  night.  An 
Americano,  Signer  Tenente,  is  he  not  ?" 

"  Why,  the  fellow  pretends  to  be  some  such  ttiing," 
answered  the  young  man,  colouring,  for  he  was  loth  t:>  con 
fess  the  wrong  that  had  been  done  the  deserter ;  "but  half 
the  British  seamen  one  falls  in  with,  now-a-days,  call  them- 
selves  Americans,  in  order  to  escape  serving  His  Majesty. 
I  rather  think  this  rascal  is  a  Cornish,  or  a  Devonshire-man  ; 
he  has  the  twang  and  the  nasal  sing-song  of  that  part  of  the 
island.  If  an  American,  however,  we  have  a  better  right  to 
him  than  the  French ;  speaking  our  language,  and  being 
descended  from  a  common  ancestry,  and  having  a  common 
character,  it  is  quite  unnatural  for  an  American  to  serve  any 
but  the  English." 

"  I  did  not  know  that,  Vice-governatore  !  —  I  thought  the 
American!  a  very  inferior  sort  of  people  to  us  Europeans, 
generally ;  and  that  they  could  scarcely  claim  to  be  our 
equals,  in  any  sense." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  Signer  Podesta,"  said  the  lieutenant, 
briskly ;  "  they  are  all  you  think  them  ;  and  any  one  can 
see  that  at  a  glance.  Degenerate  Englishmen,  we  call  them, 
in  the  service." 

"  And  yet  you  take  them,  occasionally,  Signer  Tenente  ; 
and,  as  I  understand  from  this  Ithuello,  frequently  contrary 
to  their  wishes,  and  by  force,"  drily  observed  Andrea  Bar- 
rofaldi. 

"  How  can  we  help  it,  Signore ;  the  king  has  a  right  to  j 
and  he  has  need  of  the  services  of  all  his  own  seamen  ;  and, 
in  the  hurry  of  impressing,  we  sometimes  make  a  mistake. 
Then,  these  Yankees  are  so  like  our  own  people,  that  I  would 
defy  the  devil  himself  to  tell  them  apart." 

The  Vice-governatore  thought  there  was  something  con 
tradictory  in  all  this;  and  he  subsequently  said  as  much  to 
his  friend,  the  podesta  ;  but  the  matter  went  no  farther,  at 
the  moment,  most  probably  because  he  ascertained  that  the 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  121 

young  lieutenant  was  only  using  what  might  be  termed  a 
national  argument ;  the  English  government  constantly  pro 
testing  that  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish  one  people  from 
the  other,  quoad  this  particular  practice :  while  nothing  was 
more  offensive,  to  their  eyes,  in  the  abstract,  than  to  maintain 
any  affinity  in  appearance  or  characteristics. 

The  result  of  the  discussion,  notwithstanding,  was  to  make 
the  two  Italians  reluctant  converts  to  the  opinion  of  the  Eng 
lishman,  that  the  lugger  was  the  dreaded  and  obnoxious 
Feu-Follet.  Once  convinced,  however,  shame,  revenge  and 
mortification,  united  with  duty  to  quicken  their  exertions, 
and  to  render  them  willing  assistants  in  executing  the  schemes 
of  Captain  Cuffe.  It  was,  perhaps,  fortunate  for  Raoul  and 
his  associates,  that  the  English  officers  had  so  strong  a  desire, 
as  Griffin  expressed  it,  "to  take  the  lugger  alive;"  else 
might  she  have  been  destroyed  where  she  lay,  by  removing 
a  gun  or  two  from  its  proper  embrasure,  and  planting  them 
behind  some  natural  ramparts  among  the  rocks.  The  night 
was  dark,  it  is  true,  but  not  so  much  so  as  to  render  a  vessel 
sufficiently  distinct,  at  the  short  distance  at  which  le  Feu- 
Follet  lay;  and  a  cannonade  would  have  been  abundantly 
certain. 

When  all  parties  were  of  a  mind,  as  to  the  true  character 
of  the  little  crafl  in  the  bay,  a  consultation  was  had  on  the 
details  of  the  course  proper  to  be  pursued.  A  window  of 
the  government-house,  that  looked  towards  the  direction  of 
Capraya,  or  that  in  which  the  Proserpine  was  expected  to 
arrive,  was  assigned  to  Griffin.  The  young  man  took  his 
station  at  it  about  midnight,  in  readiness  to  burn  the  blue- 
lights  with  which  he  was  provided,  the  instant  he  should 
discern  the  signals  of  his  ship.  The  position  of  this  window 
was  well  adapted  to  the  desired  object,  inasmuch  as  the 
lights  could  not  be  seen  from  the  town,  while  they  were 
plainly  open  to  the  sea.  The  same  was  essentially  true  as 
to  the  signals  of  the  frigate,  the  heights  interposing  between 
her  and  the  houses ;  and  there  being  a  still  greater  physical 
impossibility  that  anything  lying  in  the  bay,  should  discover 
an  object  at  sea,  on  the  northern  side  of  the  promontory. 

In  this  manner,  then,  did  hour  after  hour  pass  away,  a 
light  land-breeze  blowing,  but  coming  so  directly  into  the 
bay,  as  to  induce  Raoul  not  to  lift  his  kedge.  Ghita,  and 
11 


122  J*E     FEU-FOLLET. 

her  uncle,  Carlo  Giuntotardi,  had  come  off  about  ten ;  but 
there  were  still  no'signs  of  movement  on  board  the  lugger. 
To  own  the  truth,  Raoul  was  in  no  hurry  to  sail,  for  the 
longer  his  departure  was  protracted,  the  longer  would  he 
have  the  happiness  of  retaining  the  lovely  girl  on  board  ;  and 
the  zephyr  of  the  succeeding  day  would  be  almost  certain  to 
carry  le  Feu-Follet  up  to  the  island-like  promontory  of  Monte 
Argentaro,  the  point  where  stood  the  watch-towers  of  which 
Carlo  was  the  keeper,  and  in  one  of  -which  he  resided. 
Under  the  circumstances,  therefore,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
the  rising  of  the  land-breeze  was  overlooked,  or  at  least 
disregarded ;  and  that  Raoul  sat  conversing  with  Ghita  on 
deck,  until  long  past  midnight,  ere  he  allowed  her  to  seek 
her  little  cabin,  where  everything  had  been  properly  arranged 
for  her  reception.  To  own  the  truth,  Raoul  was  so  confi 
dent  of  having  completely  mystified  all  on  shore,  that  he 
felt  no  apprehensions  from  that  quarter ;  and,  desirous  of 
prolonging  his  present  happiness  as  much  as  possible,  he  had 
very  coolly  determined  not  to  sail  until  the  southerly  air  of 
the  morning  should  come;  which,  as  usual,  would  just  suffice 
<o  carry  him  well  into  the  canal,  when  the  zephyr  would  do 
the  rest.  Little  did  this  hardy  adventurer  suspect  what  had 
occurred  on  shore,  since  he  quitted  it ;  nor  was  he  at  all 
aware  that  Tommaso  Tonti  was  at  watch  in  the  harbour, 
ready  to  report  the  slightest  indication,  on  the  part  of  the 
lugger,  of  a  wish  to  quit  the  bay. 

But,  while  Raoul  was  so  indifferent  to  the  danger  he  ran, 
the  feeling  was  quite  the  reverse  with  Ithuel  Bolt.  The 
Proserpine  was  the  bane  of  this  man's  life ;  and  he  not  only 
hated  every  stick,  and  every  timber  in  her,  but  every  officer 
and  man  who  was  attached"  to  her— the  king,  whose  colours 
she  wore!  and  the  nation  whose  interests  she  served.  An 
active  hatred  is  the  most  restless  of  all  passions;  and  this 
feeling  rendered  Ithuel  keenly  alive  to  every  chance  which 
might  still  render  the  frigate  dangerous  to  the  lugger.  He 
thought  it  probable  the  former  would  return  in  quest  of  her 
enemy;  and,  expressly  with  a  view  to  this  object,  when  he 
turned  in,  at  nine,  he  left  orders  to  be  called  at  two,  that  he 
might  be  on  the  alert  in  season. 

Ithuel  was  no  sooner  awoke,  than  he  called  two  trusty 
men,  whom  he  had  prepared  for  the  purpose,  entered  a  light 


LE     FEU-FOLLET. 


boat  that  was  lying  in  readiness,  on  the  offside  of  the  lugger, 
and  pulled  with  muffled  oars  towards  the  eastern  part  oHhe 
bay.  When  sufficiently  distant  from  the  town  to  escape 
observation,  he  changed  his  course,  and  proceeded  directly 
out  to  sea.  Half  an  hour  sufficed  to  carry  the  boat  as  far 
as  Ithuel  deemed  necessary,  leaving  him  about  a  mile  from 
the  promontory,  and  so  far  to  the  westward,  as  to  give  him 
a  fair  view  of  the  window  at  which  Griffin  had  taken  post. 

The  first  occurrence  out  of  the  ordinary  course  of  things, 
that  struck  the  American,  was  the  strong  light  of  a  lamp 

shining  through  an  upper  window  of  the  government-house 

not  that  at  which  the  lieutenant  was  posted,  but  one  above 
it — and  which  had  been  placed  there  expressly  as  an  indica 
tion  to  the  frigate,  that  Griffin  had  arrived,  and  was  actively 
on  duty.  It  was  now  two  o'clock,  or  an  hour  or  two 
before  the  appearance  of  light,  and  the  breeze  off  the  adjoin 
ing  continent  was  sufficiently  strong  to  force  a  good  sailing 
vessel,  whose  canvass  had  been  thickened  by  the  damps  of 
night,  some  four  knots  through  the  water ;  and  as  Capraya 
was  less  than  thirty  miles  from  Porto  Ferrajo,  abundant 
time  had  been  given  to  the  Proserpine  to  gam  her  offing  ; 
that  ship  having  come  from  behind  her  cover,  as  soon  as  the' 
sun  had  set,  and  the  haze  of  evening  settled  upon  the  sea. 

Ithuel,  usually  so  loquacious  and  gossiping,  in  his  moments 
of  leisure,  was  silent  and  observant  when  he  had  anything 
serious  on  hand.  His  eye  was  still  on  the  window  in  which 
the  lamp  was  visible,  the  pure  olive  oil  that  was  burnin°-  in 
it  throwing  out  a  clear,  strong  flame;  when  suddenly  a  blue 
light  flashed  beneath  the  place ;  and  he  got  a  momentary 
glimpse  of  the  body  of  the  man  who  held  it,  as  he  leaned 
forward  from  another  window.  The  motion  which  now 
turned  his  head  sea-ward,  was  instinctive;  it  was  just  in 
time  to  let  him  detect  a  light  descending  apparently  into  the 
water,  like  a  falling  star;  but  which,  in  fact,  was  merely  a 
signal  lantern  of  the  Proserpine,  coming  rapidly  down  from 
the  end  of  her  gaff. 

"Ah!  d n  you,"  said  Ithuel,  grating  his  teeth,  and 

shaking  his  fist  in  the  direction  o"  the  spot  where  this  tran 
sient  gleam  of  brightness  had  disappeared  —  «  I  know  you, 
mid  your  old  tricks,  with  your  lanterns  and  night-signals. 
Here  goes  the  answer." 


124  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

As  he  said  this,  he  touched  a  rocket,  of  which  he  had 
several  in  the  boat,  with  the  lighted  end  of  the  segar  he  had 
been  smoking,  and  it  went  hissing  up  into  the  air ;  ascending 
so  high  as  to  be  plainly  visible  from  the  deck  of  le  Feu-Follet, 
before  it  exploded.  Griffin  saw  this  signal  with  wonder ; 
the  frigate  noted  it  with  embarrassment ;  for  it  was  far  to 
seaward  of  the  lamp  ;  and  even  'Maso  conceived  it  necessary 
to  quit  his  station,  in  order  to  report  the  circumstance  to  the 
colonel,  whom  he  was  to  call,  in  the  event  of  any  unusual 
occurrence.  The  common  impression,  however,  among  all 
these  parties  was,  that  a  second  cruiser  had  come  through 
the  canal,  from  the  southward,  in  the  course  of  the  night, 
and  that  she  wished  to  notify  the  Proserpine  of  her  position, 
probably  expecting  to  meet  that  ship  off  the  island. 

On  board  le  Feu-Follet  the  effect  was  different.  The  land- 
breeze  of  Italy  is  a  side-wind  to  vessels  quitting  the  bay  of 
Porto-Ferrajo ;  and  two  minutes  after  the  rocket  exploded, 
the  lugger  was  gliding  almost  imperceptibly,  and  yet  at  the 
rate  of  a  knot  or  two,  under  her  jigger  and  jib,  towards  the 
outer  side  of  the  port,  or  along  the  very  buildings  past  which 
she  had  brushed  the  previous  day.  This  movement  was 
made  at  the  critical  instant  when  'Maso  was  off  his  watch ; 
and  the  ordinary  sentinels  of  the  works  had  other  duties  to 
attpnd  to.  So  light  was  this  little  vessel,  that  a  breath  of 
air  set  her  in  motion,  and  nothing  was  easier  than  to  get  three 
or  four  knots  out  of  her  in  smooth  water,  especially  when 
she  opened  the  comparatively  vast  folds  of  her  two  principal 
luggs.  This  she  did,  when  close  under  the  citadel,  or  out 
of  sight  of  the  town,  the  sentinels  above  hearing  the  flaps  of 
her  canvass,  without  exactly  understanding  whence  they 
came.  At  this  instant  Ithuel  let  off  a  second  rocket,  and 
the  lugger  showed  a  light  on  her  starboard  bow,  so  concealed, 
however,  on  all  sides  but  one,  as  to  be  visible  only  in  the 
direction  of  the  boat.  As  this  was  done,  she  put  her  helm, 
hard  down,  and  hauled  her  fore-sheet  over  flat  to  windward. 
Five  minutes  later,  Ithuel  had  reached  her  deck;  and  the 
boat  was  hauled  in  as  if  it  had  been  inflated  silk.  Deceived 
by  the  second  rocket,  the  Proserpine  now  made  her  number 
with  regular  signal  lanterns,  with  the  intention  of  obtaining 
that  of  the  stranger;  trusting  that  the  promontory  would 
conceal  it  from  the  vessels  in  the  bay.  This  told  Raoul  the 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  125 

precise  position  of  his  enemy ;  and  he  was  not  sorry  to  see 
that  he  was  already  to  the  westward  of  her ;  a  fact  that 
permitted  him  to  slip  round  the  island  again,  so  near  in  as 
to  be  completely  concealed  by  the  back-ground  of  cliifs. 
By  the  aid  of  an  excellent  night-glass,  too,  he  was  enabled 
to  see  the  frigate,  distant  about  a  league,  under  everything 
that  would  draw,  from  her  royals  down,  standing  towards 
the  mouth  of  the  bay  on  the  larboard  tack ;  having  made  her 
calculations  so  accurately  as  to  drop  into  windward  of  her 
port,  with  the  customary  breeze  off  the  land.  At  this  sight 
Raoul  laughed,  and  ordered  the  mainsail  taken  in.  Half-an- 
hour  later,  he  directed  the  foresail  to  be  brailed ;  brought  his 
jigger-sheet  in  flat ;  put  his  helm  hard  down  ;  and  hauled  the 
jib-sheet  to  windward. 

As  this  last  order  was  executed,  day  was  just  breaking 
over  the  mountains  of  Radicofani  and  Aquapendente.  By 
this  time  le  Feu-Follet  lay  about  a  league  to  the  westward 
of  the  promontory,  and  abreast  of  the  deep  bay  that  has 
been  already  mentioned  as  being  in  that  direction  from  the 
town.  Of  course  she  was  far  beyond  the  danger  of  missiles 
from  the  land.  The  night  wind,  however,  had  now  failed, 
arid  there  was  every  appearance  that  the  morning  would  be 
calm.  In  this  there  was  nothing  extraordinary,  at  that 
season ;  the  winds  which  prevailed  from  the  south  being 
usually  short  and  light,  unless  accompanied  by  a  gust.  Just 
as  the  sun  appeared,  the  south  air  came,  it  is  true,  but  so 
lightly,  as  to  render  it  barely  possible  to  keep  the  little 
lugger  in  command,  by  heaving-to  with  her  head  to  the 
south-west. 

The  Proserpine  stood  in  until  the  day  had  advanced  far 
enough  to  enable  her  look-outs  to  detect  le  Feu-Follet  braving 
her,  as  it  might  be,  in  the  western  board,  at  the  distance  of 
about  a  league  and  a  half,  under  her  jib  and  jigger,  as  de« 
scribed.  This  sight  produced  a  great  commotion  in  the  ship, 
even  the  watch  below  "  tumbling  up,"  to  get  another  sight 
of  a  craft  so  renowned  for  evading  the  pursuit  of  all  the 
English  cruisers  of  those  seas.  A  few  minutes  later,  Griffin 
came  off,  chopfallen  and  disappointed.  His  first  glance  at 
the  countenance  of  his  superior,  announced  a  coming 
storm ;  for  the  commander  of  a  vessel  of  war  is  no  more  apt 
to  be  reasonable,  under  disappointment,  than  any  other  poten- 
11* 


126  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

tate.  Captain  Cuffe  had  not  seen  fit  to  wait  for  his  subordi- 
nate  on  deck ;  but  as  soon  as  it  was  ascertained  that  he  was 
coming  off  in  a  shore-boat,  he  retired  to  his  cabin,  leaving 
orders  with  the  first  lieutenant,  whose  name  was  Winchester, 
to  send  Mr.  Griffin  below,  as  soon  as  he  had  reported  him 
self. 

"  Well,  sir,"  commenced  Cuffe,  as  soon  as  his  lieutenan 
came  into  the  after-cabin,  without  offering  him  a  seat — • 
"  here  we  are ;  and  out  yonder,  two  or  three  leagues  at  sea 

is  the  d d  Few-Folly  !"  for  so  most  of  the  seamen  of  tho 

English  service  pronounced  "  Feu-Follet." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Captain  Cuffe,"  answered  Griffin, 
who  found  himself  compelled  to  appear  a  delinquent,  what 
ever  might  be  the  injustice  of  the  situation  ;  "  it  could  not  be 
helped.  We  got  in,  in  proper  time ;  and  I  went  to  work  with 
the  deputy-governor,  and  an  old  chap  of  a  magistrate  who 
was  witrThim,  as  soon  as  I  could  get  up  to  the  house  of  the 
first.  Yvard  had  been  beforehand  with  me ;  and  I  had  to 
under-run  about  a  hundred  of  his  lying  yarns,  before  I  could 
even  enter  the  end  of  an  idea  of  my  own — " 

"  You  speak  Italian,  sir,  like  a  Neapolitan  born ;  and  I 
depended  on  your  doing  everything  as  it  should  have  been." 

"  Not  so  much  like  ^a  Neapolitan,  I  hope,  Captain  Cuffe, 
as  like  a  Tuscan,  or  a  Roman,"  returned  Griffin,  biting  his 
lip.  "  After  an  hour  of  pretty  hard,  and  lawyer-like  work, 
and  overhauling  all  the  documents,  I  did  succeed  in  con 
vincing  the  two  Elban  gentry  of  my  own  character,  and  of 
that  of  the  lugger!" 

"  And  while  you  were  playing  advocate,  Master  Raoul 
Yvard  coolly  lifted  his  anchor,  and  walked  out  of  the  bay, 
as  if  he  were  just  stepping  into  his  garden,  to  pick  a  nose 
gay  for  his  sweetheart  7" 

"  No,  sir,  nothing  of  the  sort  happened.  As  soon  as  I 
had  satisfied  the  Signor  Barrofaldi,  the  vice-governatore — " 

"  Veechy-govern-the-tory.  —  D n    all    vcechys,  and 

d n  all"  the  governatorys,  too  ;  do  speak  English,  Griffin, 

on  board  an  English  ship,  if  you  please,  even  should  your 
Italian  happen  to  be  Tuscan.  Call  the  fellow  vice-governor 
at  once,  if  that  be  his  rank." 

"  Well,  sir,  as  soon  as  I  had  satisfied  the  vice-governor 
that  the  lugger  was  an  enemy,  and  that  we  were  friends, 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  12? 

everything  went  smoothly  enough.  He  wanted  to  sink  the 
lugger,  as  she  lay  at  her  anchor." 

"  And  why  the  devil  didn't  he  do  it  ?  Two  or  three  heavy 
shot  would  have  given  her  a  stronger  dose  than  she  could 
bear." 

"  You  know,  Captain  CufFe,  it  has  all  along  been  youi 
wish  to  take  her  alive.  I  thought  it  would  tell  so  well  for 
the  ship,  to  have  it  to  say  she  had  caught  le  Feu-Follet,  that 
I  opposed  the  project.  I  know  Mr.  Winchester  hopes  to  get 
her,  as  a  reward  for  carrying  her,  himself." 

*•  Ay,  and  that  would  make  you  first.  Well,  sir,  even  if 
you  didn't  sink  her,  it  was  no  reason  for  letting  her  escape." 

"  We  could  not  prevent  it,  Captain  CufFe.  I  had  a  look 
out  set  upon  her — one  of  the  very  best  men  in  Porto  Ferrajo, 
as  everybody  will  tell  you,  sir  j  and  I  made  the  signals  of 
the  lamp  and  the  blue-lights,  as  agreed  upon  ;  and,  the  ship 
answering,  I  naturally  thought  all  was  as  it  should  be, 
until—" 

"  And  who  burnt  the  rockets,  off  here,  where  we  are  at 
this  moment  1  They  deceived  me,  for  I  took  them  to  be 
signals  of  their  presence,  from  the  Weasel  or  the  Sparrow. 
When  I  saw  those  rockets,  Griffin,  I  was  just  as  certain  of 
the  Few-Folly,  as  I  am  now  of  having  my  own  ship  !" 

•"  Yes,  sir,  those  rockets  did  all  the  mischief;  for,  I  have 
since  learned,  that,  as  soon  as  the  first  one  was  thrown, 
Master  Yvard  tripped  his  kedge,  and  went  out  of  the  bay  as 
quietly  as  one  goes  out  of  a  dining-room,  when  he  don't 
wish  to  disturb  the  company." 

"  Ay,  he  took  French  leave,  the  b — : — y  sans  culotte" 
returned  the  captain,  putting  himself  in  a  better  humour 
with  his  own  pun.  "  But  did  you  see  nothing  of  all  this  ?" 

"  The  first  I  knew  of  the  matter,  sir,  was  seeing  the  lug 
ger  gliding  along  under  the  rocks,  so  close  in,  that  you 
might  have  jumped  aboard  her ;  and  it  was  too  late  to  stop 
her,  Before  those  lazyjfar  nientes  could  have  pricked  and 
primed,  he  was  out  of  gun-shot." 

'  Lazy  what  ?"  demanded  the  captain. 

"  Far  nientes,  sir;  which  is  a  nickname  we  give  these 
siesta-gentry,  you  know,  Captain  Cufle." 

"  I  know  nothing  about  it,  sir ;  and  I  'II  thank  you  always 
to  Fpeak  to  me  in  English,  Mr.  Griffin.  That  is  "a  language 


128  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

which,  I  flatter  myself,  I  understand ;  and  it  Ts  quite  good 
enough  for  all  my  wants." 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  for  any  man's  wants.  I  'm  sure,  I  am 
sorry  I  can  speak  Italian,  since  it  has  led  to  this  mistake.'1 

"  Poh — poh — Griffin,  you  mustn't  lay  everything  to  heart, 
that  comes  wrong  end  foremost.  Dine  with  me  to-day,  ant 
we  '11  talk  the  matter  over  at  leisure." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"Now  in  the  fervid  noon  the  smooth  bright  sea 
Heaves  slowly,  for  the  wandering  winds  are   dead 
That  stirr'd  it  into  foam.     The  lonely  ship 
Rolls  wearily,  and  idly  flap  the  sails 
Against  the  creaking  masts.     The  lightest  sound 
Is  lost  not  on  the  ear,  and  things  minute 
Attract  the  observant  eye." 

RICHARDSON. 

THUS  terminated  the  setting-down,  like  many  others  that 
Captain  Cufie  had  resolved  to  give,  but  which  usually  ended 
in  a  return  to  good-nature  and  reason.  The  steward  was 
told  to  set  a  plate  for  Mr.  Griffin,  among  the  other  guests, 
and  then  the  commander  of  the  frigate  followed  the  lieuten- 
ant  on  deck.  Here  he  found  every  officer  in  the  ship,  alt 
looking  at  le  Feu-Follet  with  longing  eyes,  and  most  of  them 
admiring  her  appearance,  as  she  lay  on  the  mirror-like 
Mediterranean,  with  the  two  light  sails  mentioned,  just  hold- 
ing  her  stationary. 

"  A  regular-built  snake-in-the-grass  !"  growled  the  boat- 
swain,  Mr.  Strand,  who  was  taking  a  look  at  the  lugger  over 
the  hammock-cloths  of  the  waist,  as  he  stood  on  the  heel  of 
a  spare  top-mast  to  do  so ;  "I  never  put  eyes  on  a  scamp 
that  had  a  more  d n-my-eyes  look  !" 

This  was  said  in  a  sort  of  soliloquy,  for  Strand  was  not 
exactly  privileged  to  address  a  quarter-deck  officer  on  such 
an  occasion,  though  several  stood  within  hearing,  arid  was 
far  too  great*  a  man  to  enlighten  his  subordinates  with  his 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  129 

cogitations.  It  was  overheard  by  Cuffe,  however,  who  just 
at  that  instant  stepped  into  the  gangway  to  make  an  exami- 
nation  for  himself. 

"  It  is  a  snake-of/£-of-the-grass,  rather,  Strand,"  observed 
the  captain,  for  he  could  speak  to  whom  he  plea:sed,  without 
presumption  or  degradation.  "  Had  she  stayed  in  port,  now, 
she  would  have  been  in  the  grass,  and  we  might  have 
scotched  her." 

"  Well,  your  honour,  we  can  English  her,  as  it  is ;  and 
that'll  be  quite  as  nat'ral,  and  quite  as  much  to  the  purpose, 
as  Scotching  her,  any  day,"  answered  Strand,  who,  being 
a  native  of  London,  had  a  magnificent  sort  of  feeling  towards 
all  the  dependencies  of  the  empire,  and  to  whom  the  word 
scotch,  in  that  sense,  was  Greek,  though  he  well  understood 
what  it  meant,  "  to  clap  a  Scotchman  on  a  rope  ;"  "  we  are 
likely  to  have  a  flat  calm  all  the  morning,  and  our  boats  are 
in  capital  order ;  and.  then,  nothing  will  be  more  agreeable 
to  our  gentlemen,  than  a  row." 

Strand  was  a  grey-headed  seaman,  and  he  had  served 
with  Captain  Cuffe  when  the  latter  was  a  midshipman,  and 
had  even  commanded  the  top,  of  which  the  present  boatswain 
had  been  the  captain.  He  knew  the  "  cut  of  the  captain's 
jib"  better  than  any  other  man  in  the  Proserpine,  and  often 
succeeded  with  his  suggestions,  when  Winchester  and  the 
other  lieutenants  failed.  His  superior  now  turned  round, 
and  looked  him  intently  in  the  face,  as  if  struck  with  the 
notion  the  other  thus  indirectly  laid  before  him.  This  move- 
ment  was  noted  ;  and,  at  a  sign  secretly  given  by  Winchester, 
the  whole  crew  gave  three  hearty  cheers  ;  Strand  leading  off, 
as  soon  as  he  caught  the  idea.  This  was  the  only  manner 
in  which  the  crew  of  a  man-of-war  can  express  their 
wishes  to  their  commander  ;  it  being  always  tolerated,  in  a 
navy,  to  hurrah,  by  way  of  showing  the  courage  of  a  ship's 
company.  Cuffe  walked  aft,  in  a  thoughtful  manner,  and 
descended  to  his  cabin  again  ;  but  a  servant  soon  came  up,  to 
say  that  the  captain  desired  to  see  the  first  lieutenant. 

"  I  do  not  half  like  this  boat-service,  in  open  day-light. 
Winchester,"  observed  the  senior,  beckoning  to  the  other  to 
take  a  chair.  "  The  least  bungling  may  spoil  it  all ;  and 
then  it 's  ten  to  one  but  your  ship  goes  half-manned  for  a 


130  LE     PEU-FOLLET. 

twelvemonth,  until  you  are  driven  to  pressing  from  colliers 
and  neutrals." 

"  But,  we  hope,  sir,  there  '11  be  no  bungling  in  anything 
that  the  Proserpine  undertakes.  Nine  times  in  ten,  an  Eng 
lish  man-of-war  succeeds,  when  she  makes  a  bold  dash  in 
boats,  against  one  of  these  picaroons.  This  lugger  is  so 
low  in  the  water,  too,  that  it  will  be  like  stepping  from  one 
cutter  into  another  to  get  upon  her  decks ;  and  then,  sir,  I 
suppose,  you  don't  doubt  what  Englishmen  will  do  ?" 

"  Ay,  Winchester,  once  on  her  deck,  I  make  no  doubt 
you  'd  carry  her  ;  but  it  may  not  be  so  easy  as  you  imagine, 
to  get  on  her  deck.  Of  all  duty  to  a  captain,  this  of  send 
ing  off  boats  is  the  most  unpleasant.  He  cannot  go  himself, 
and  if  anything  unfortunate  turns  up,  he  never  forgives  him 
self.  Now,  it  }s  a  very  different  thing  with  a  fight  in  which 
all  share  alike ;  and  the  good  or  evil  comes  equally  on  all 
hands." 

"  Quite  true,  Captain  Cuffe ;  and  yet  this  is  the  only 
chance  that  the  lieutenants  have  for  getting  ahead  a  little, 
out  of  the  regular  course.  I  have  heard,  sir,  that  you  were 
made  commander,  for  cutting  out  some  coasters,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  war." 

"  You  have  not  been  misinformed ;  and  a  devil  of  a  risk 
we  all  ran.  Luck  saved  us — and  that  was  all.  One  more 
fire  from  a  cursed  carronade,  would  have  given  a  Flemish 
account  of  the  whole  party;  for,  once  get  a  little  under,  and 
you  suffer  like  game  in  a  batteau"  Captain  Cuffe  wished 
to  say  battue  ;  but  despising  foreign  languages,  he  generally 
made  sad  work  with  them,  whenever  he  did  condescend  to 
resort  to  their  terms,  however  familiar.  "  This  Raoul 
Yvard  is  a  devil  incarnate,  himself,  at  this  boarding  work ; 
and  is  said  to  have  taken  off  the  head  of  a  master's  mate,  of 
the  Theseus,  with  one  clip  of  his  sword,  when  he  retook  that 
ship's  prize,  in  the  affair  of  last  winter — that  which  happened 
off  Alicant!" 

"  I  '11  warrant  you,  sir,  the  master's  mate  was  some  slen 
der-necked  chap,  that  might  better  have  been  at  home, 
craning  at  the  girls,  as  they  come  out  of  a  church-door.  I 
should  like  to  see  Raoul  Yvard,  or  any  Frenchman  who 
was  ever  born,  take  off  my  head  at  a  single  clip  !" 

"  Well,  Winchester,  >o  be  frank  with  you,  I  should  not. 


LK     FEU-FOLLET.  131 

You  are  a  good  first ;  and  that  is  an  office  in  which  a  man 
usually  wants  all  the  head  he  has ;  and  I  'm  not  at  all  certain 
you  have  any  to  spare.  I  wonder  if  one  could  not  hire  a 
felucca,  or  something  larger  than  a  boat,  in  this  place,  by 
means  of  which  we  could  play  a  trick  upon  this  fellow,  and 
effect  our  purpose  quite  as  well  as  by  going  up  to  him  in  our 
open  boats,  bull-dog  fashion?" 

"  No  question  of  it  at  all,  sir ;  Griffin  says  there  are  a 
dozen  feluccas  in  port  here,  all  afraid  to  budge  an  inch,  in 
consequence  of  this  chap's  being  in  the  offing.  Now  one  of 
these  trying  to  slip  along  shore  might  just  serve  as  a  bait  for 
him,  and  then  he  would  be  famously  hooked." 

"  I  think  I  have  it,  Winchester.  You  understand ;  we 
have  not  yet  been  seen  to  communicate  with  the  town ;  and 
luckily,  our  French  colours  have  been  flying  all  the  morning. 
Our  head,  too,  is  in-shore ;  and  we  shall  drift  so  far  to  the 
eastward,  in  a  few  minutes,  as  will  shut  in  our  hull,  if  not 
our  upper  sails,  from  the  lugger,  where  she  now  lies.  As 
soon  as  this  is  done,  you  shall  be  off,  with  forty  picked  men, 
for  the  shore.  Engage  a  felucca,  and  come  out,  stealing 
along  the  rocks,  as  close  as  you  can,  as  if  distrusting  vs. 
In  due  time,  we  will  chase  you,  in  the  boats ;  and  then  you 
must  make  for  the  lugger  for  protection,  as  fast  as  you  can, 
when,  betwixt  the  two,  I  '11  answer  for  it,  you  get  this  Master 
Yvard,  by  fair  means  or  foul." 

Winchester  was  delighted  with  the  scheme ;  and  in  lesj 
than  five  minutes,  orders  were  issued  for  the  men  to  be 
detailed  and  armed.  Then  a  conference  was  held,  as  to  all 
the  minor  arrangements ;  when,  the  ship  having  become  shut 
in  from  the  lugger  by  the  promontory,  as  expected,  the  boats 
departed.  Half-an-hour  later,  or  just  as  the  Proserpine,  after 
waring,  had  got  near  the  point  where  the  lugger  would  be 
again  open,  the  boats  returned,  and  were  run  up.  Presently 
the  two  vessels  were  again  in  sight  of  each  other,  everything, 
on  board  of  each,  remaining,  apparently,  in  statu  quo 
Thus  far,  certainly,  the  stratagem  had  been  adroitly  ma 
naged.  To  add  to  it,  the  batteries  now  fired  ten  or  twelve 
guns  at  the  frigate,  taking  very  good  care  not  to  hit  her ; 
which  the  Proserpine  returned,  under  the  French  ensign, 
having  used  the  still  greater  precaution  of  drawing  the  shot. 
All  this  was  done  by  an  arrangement  between  Winchester 


132  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

and  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  and  with  the  sole  view  to  induce 
Raoul  Yvard  to  fancy  that  he  was  still  believed  to  be  an 
Englishman,  by  the  worthy  vice-governatore,  while  the  ship 
in  the  offing  was  taken  for  an  enemy.  A  light  air  from 
the  southward,  which  lasted  from  eight  to  nine  o'clock, 
allowed  the  frigate  to  get  somewhat  more  of  an  offing,  the 
while,  placing  her  seemingly  beyond  the  reach  of  danger. 

During  the  prevalence  of  the  light  air  mentioned,  Raoul 
Yvard  did  not  see  fit  to  stir  tack  or  sheet,  as  it  is  termed, 
among  seamen.  Le  Feu-Follet  remained  so  stationary, 
that,  had  she  been  set  by  compass,  from  any  station  on  the 
shore,  her  direction  would  not  have  varied  a  degree  the 
whole  time.  But  this  hour  of  comparative  breeze  sufficed  to 
enable  Winchester  to  get  out  of  the  harbour  with  la  Divina 
Providenza,  the  felucca  he  had  hired,  and  to  round  the  pro 
montory,  under  the  seeming  protection  of  the  guns  by  which 
it  was  crowned ;  coming  in  view  of  the  lugger  precisely  as 
the  latter  relieved  her  man  at  the  helm  for  ten  o'clock. 
There  were  eight  or  nine  men  visible  on  the  felucca's  deck, 
all  dressed  in  the  guise  of  Italians,  with  caps  and  striped 
shirts  of  cotton.  Thirty-five  men  were  concealed  in  the 
hold. 

Thus  far  everything  was  favourable  to  the  wishes  of  Cap 
tain  Cuffe  and  his  followers.  The  frigate  was  about  a  league 
from  the  lugger,  and  half  that  distance  from  la  Divina  Pro 
videnza  ;  the  latter  had  got  fairly  to  sea,  and  was  slowly 
coming  to  a  situation  from  which  it  might  seem  reasonable, 
and  a  matter  of  course,  for  the  Proserpine  to  send  boats  in 
chase;  while  the  manner  in  which  she  gradually  drew 
nearer  to  the  lugger,  was  not  such  as  to  excite  distrust,  or 
to  appear,  in  the  least,  designed.  The  wind,  too,  had  got  to 
be  so  light,  as  to  favour  the  whole  scheme. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  Raoul  Yvard  and  his  follow 
ers  were  unobservant  of  what  was  passing.  It  is  true,  that 
the  latter  wilfully  protracted  his  departure,  under  the  pre 
tence  that  it  was  safer  to  have  his  enemy  in  sight,  during 
the  day,  knowing  how  easy  it  would  be  to  elude  him,  in  the 
dark  ;  but,  in  reality,  that  he  might  prolong  the  pleasure  of 
having  Ghita  on  board ;  and  it  is  also  true,  that  he  had 
passed  a  delightful  hour,  that  morning,  in  the  cabin ;  but, 
then,  his  understanding  eye  noted  the  minutest  fact  that 


LE     FETJ-FOLLET.  133 

occurred ;  and  his  orders  were  always  ready  to  meet  any 
emergency  that  might  arise.  Very  different  was  the  case 
with  Ithuel.  The  Proserpine  was  his  bane  ;  and,  even  while 
eating  his  breakfast,  which  he  took  on  the  heel  of  the  bow 
sprit,  expressly  with  that  intent,  his  eye  was  seldom  a  minute 
off  the  frigate,  unless  it  was  for  the  short  period  she  was  shut 
in  by  the  land.  It  was  impossible  for  any  one  in  the  lugger 
to  say,  whether  her  character  was,  or  was  not  known  in 
Porto  Ferrajo ;  but  the  circumstance  of  the  blue-lights  burnt 
in  the  government-house,  itself,  and  witnessed  by  Ithuel,  ren 
dered  the  latter,  to  say  the  least,  probable,  and  induced  more 
caution  than  might  otherwise  have  been  shown.  Still,  there 
was  no  reason  to  suspect  the  character  ot'  the  felucca ;  and 
the  confident  manner  in  which  she  came  down  towards  the 
lugger,  though  considerably  in-shore  of  her,  gave  reason  to 
believe  that  she,  at  least,  was  ignorant  that  le  Feu-Follet 
was  an  enemy. 

"  That  felucca  is  the  craft  which  lay  near  the  landing," 
quietly  observed  Raoul,  who  had  now  come  on  the  forecastle 
with  a  view  to  converse  with  Ithuel ;  "  her  name  is  la  Di- 
vina  Providenza ;  she  is  given  to  smuggling  between  Leg 
horn  and  Corsica,  and  is  probably  bound  to  the  latter,  at 
this  moment.  It  is  a  bold  step,  too,  to  stand  directly  for 
her  port,  under  such  circumstances  !" 

"Leghorn  is  a  free  port,"  returned  Ithuel;  "and  smug, 
gling  is  not  needed." 

"  Ay,  free  as  to  friends,  but  not  free  to  come  and  go 
between  enemies.  No  port  is  free,  in  that  sense ;  it  being 
treason  for  a  craft  to  communicate  with  the  foe,  unless  she 
happen  to  be  le  Feu-Follet,"  observed  Raoul,  laughing; 
"  we  are  privileged,  |ion  brave!" 

"  Corsica  or  Caproya,  she  '11  reach  neither,  to-day,  unless 
she  find  more  wind.  I  do  not  understand  why  the  man 
has  sailed,  with  no  more  air  than  will  serve  to  blow  out  a 
pocket-handkerchief." 

"  These  little  feluccas,  like  our  little  lugger,  slip  along 
even  when  there  seems  to  be  no  wind  at  all.  Then,  he  may 
be  bound  to  Bastia ;  in  which  case  he  is  wise  in  getting  aa 
offing  before  the  zephyr  sets  in  for  the  afternoon.  Let  him 
get  a  league  or  two  out  here,  more  to  the  northwest,  and  he 
can  make  a  straight  wake  to  Bastia,  after  his  siesta  is  over." 
12 


134  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"  Ay,  there  go  them  greedy  Englishmen  a'rter  him !' 
said  Ithuel ;  "  it 's  as  I  expected  ;  let  'em  see  the  chance  of 
making  a  guinea,  and  they  '11  strive  for  it,  though  it  be  ag'in 
law,  or  ag'in  natur'.  Now,  what  have  they  to  do  with  a 
Neapolitan  felucca ;  England  being  a  sworn  friend  of 
Naples  ?" 

Raoul  made  no  reply  to  this,  but  stood  watching  the 
movement  in  silence.  The  reader  will  readily  enough 
understand  that  Ithuel's  remark  was  elicited  by  the  appear 
ance  ot  the  boats,  which,  five  in  number,  at  that  instant 
pulled  off  from  the  frigate's  side,  and  proceeded  steadily 
towards  the  felucca. 

It  may  be  necessary  now  to  mention  the  relative  positions 
of  the  parties,  the  hour,  and  the  precise  state  of  the  weather 
with  a  view  to  give  the  reader  clear  ideas  of  the  events  that 
succeeded.  Le  Feu-Follet  had  not  materially  changed  her 
place,  since  her  jib-sheet  was  first  hauled  over.  She  still 
lay  about  a  league,  a  little  north-of-west,  from  the  residence 
of  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  and  in  plain  view  of  it ;  a  deep  bay 
being  south  of  her,  and  abeam.  No  alterations  had  been 
made  in  her  canvass,  or  her  helm ;  most  of  the  first  being 
still  in  the  brails,  and  the  latter  down.  As  the  head  of  the 
frigate  had  been  kept  to  the  westward,  for  the  last  hour,  she 
had  forged  some  distance  in  that  direction,  and  was  now 
quite  as  near  the  lugger  as  was  the  promontory,  though 
near  two  miles  off  the  land.  Her  courses  were  hauled  up,  on 
account  of  the  lightness  of  the  air ;  but  all  her  upper-sails 
stood,  and  were  carefully  watched  and  trimmed,  in  order  to 
make  the  most  of  the  cats'- paws,  or  rather,  of  the  breathings 
of  the  atmosphere,  which  occasionally  caused  the  royals  to 
swell  outward.  On  the  whole,  she  might  be  drawing  nearer 
to  the  lugger,  at  the  rate  of  about  a  knot  in  an  hour.  La 
Divina  Providenza  was  just  out  of  gun-shot  from  the  frigate, 
and  about  a  mile  from  the  lugger,  when  the  boats  shoved  off 
from  the  former,  though  quite  near  the  land,  just  opening 
the  bay  so  often  named.  The  boats,  of  course,  were  pulling 
in  a  straight  line  from  the  vessel  they  had  just  left,  towards 
that  of  which  they  were  in  pursuit. 

As  to  the  time,  the  day  had  advanced  as  far  as  eleven, 
which  is  a  portion  of  the  twenty-four  hours  when  the  Medi« 
te.rranean,  in  the  summer  months,  is  apt  to  be  as  smooth  as 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  135 

a  mirror,  and  as  calm  as  if  it  never  knew  a  tempest. 
Throughout  the  morning,  there  had  been  some  irregularity 
in  the  currents  of  air  ;  the  southerly  breeze,  generally  light, 
and  frequently  fickle,  having  been  even  more  light  and 
baffling  than  common.  Still,  as  has  been  seen,  there  was 
sufficient  air  to  force  a  vessel  through  the  water ;  and,  had 
Raoul  been  as  diligent  as  the  people  of  the  two  other  crafts, 
he  might,  at  that  moment,  have  been  off  the  western  end  of 
the  island,  and  far  out  of  harm's  way.  As  it  was,  he  had 
continued  watching  the  resuk,  but  permitting  all  the  other 
parties  gradually  to  approach  him. 

It  must  be  allowed,  that  the  ruse  of  the  felucca  was  well 
planned  ;  and  it  now  seemed  about  to  be  admirably  executed. 
Had  it  not  been  for  IthuePs  very  positive  knowledge  of  the 
ship — his  entire  certainty  of  her  being  his  old  prison,  as  he 
bitterly  called  her,  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  lugger's  crew 
might  have  been  the  dupe  of  so  much  well-acted  ingenuity ; 
and,  as  it  was,  opinions  were  greatly  divided,  Raoul,  him 
self,  being  more  than  half  disposed  to  fancy  that  his  Ameri 
can  ally,  for  once,  was  wrong,  and  that  the  ship  in  sight 
was  actually  what  she  professed  to  be  • —  a  cruiser  of  the 
republic. 

Both  Winchester,  who  was  in  la  Divina  Providenza,  and 
Griffin,  who  commanded  the  boats,  played  their  parts  in 
perfection.  They  understood  too  well  the  character  of  the 
wily  and  practised  foe  with  whom  they  had  to  deal,  to  neg 
lect  the  smallest  of  the  details  of  their  well-concerted  plan. 
Instead  of  heading  towards  the  lugger,  as  soon  as  the  chase 
commenced,  the  felucca  appeared  disposed  to  enter  the  bay, 
and  to  find  an  anchorage  under  the  protection  of  a  small 
battery  that  had  been  planted,  for  this  express  purpose,  near 
its  head.  But  the  distance  was  so  great,  as  obviously  to 
render  such  an  experiment  bootless ;  and,  after  looking  in 
that  direction  a  few  minutes,  the  head  of  la  Divina  Provi 
denza  was  laid  off  shore,  and  she  made  every  possible  effort 
to  put  herself  under  the  cover  of  the  lugger.  All  this  was 
done  in  plain  view  of  Raoul,  whose  glass  was  constantly  at 
his  eye,  and  who  studied  the  smallest  movement  with  jealous 
distrust.  Winchester,  fortunately  for  his  purpose,  was  a 
dark-complexioned  man,  of  moderate  stature,  and  with  bushy 
whiskers,  such  as  a  man-of-war's-man  is  apt  to  cultivate,  on 


136  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

a  long  cruise;  and,  in  his  red  Phrygian  cap,  striped  shirt, 
and  white  cotton  trowsers,  he  looked  the  Italian  as  well  as 
could  have  been  desired.  The  men  in  sight,  too,  had  been 
selected  for  their  appearance,  several  of  them  being  actually 
foreigners,  born  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean  ;  it  being 
seldom,  indeed,  that  the  crew  of  an  English,  or  an  American 
vessel  of  war,  does  not  afford  a  representation  of  half  the 
maritime  nations  of  the  earth.  These  men  exhibited  a  proper 
degree  of  confusion  and  alarm,  too ;  running  to  and  fro,  as 
soon  as  the  chase  became  lively  ;  exerting  themselves,  but 
doing  it  without  order  and  concert.  At  length,  the  wind 
failing  almost  entirely,  they  got  out  two  sweeps,  and  began 
to  pull  lustily  ;  the  real,  as  well  as  the  apparent  desire  being 
to  get  as  near  as  possible  to  the  lugger. 

"  Peste  /"  exclaimed  Raoul ;  "all  this  seems  right  — 
what  if  the  frigate  should  be  French,  after  all.  These  men 
in  the  boats  look  like  my  brave  compatriotes  !" 

"  They  are  regular  John  Bulls,"  answered  Ithuel,  posi 
tively,  "  and  the  ship  is  the  spiteful  Proserpyne,"  for  so 
the  New-Hampshire-man  always  called  his  old  prison.  "  As 
for  them  French  hats,  and  the  way  they  have  of  rowing, 
they  act  it  all  for  a  take-in.  Just  let  a  six-pound  shot  in 
among  'em,  and  see  how  they  '11  throw  off  their  French  airs, 
and  take  to  their  English  schooling." 

"  I  '11  not  do  that ;  for  we  might  injure  a  friend.  What 
are  those  fellows  in  the  felucca  about,  now  ?" 

"  Why,  they  've  got  a  small  gun  —  yes,  it 's  a  twelve- 
pound  carronade,  under  the  tarpaulin,  for'rard  of  their  fore 
mast,  and  they  're  clearin'  it  away  for  sarvice.  We  shall 
have  something  doin'  'fore  the  end  of  the  week  !" 

"  Bien — it  is  as  you  say — and,  voila,  they  train  the  piece 
on  the  boats !" 

As  this  was  said,  the  felucca  was  half  concealed  in  smoke. 
Then  came  the  discharge  of  the  gun.  The  shot  was  seen 
skipping  along  the  water,  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  leading 
boat,  certainly,  and  yet  sufficiently  near  to  make  it  pass  for 
indifferent  gunnery.  This  leading  boat  was  the  Proserpine's 
launch,  which  carried  a  similar  earronade  on  its  grating, 
forward,  and  not  half- a- minute  was  suffered  to  pass,  before 
the  fire  was  returned.  So  steady  were  the  men,  and  so 
nicely  were  all  the  parts  of  this  plot  calculated,  that  the  shot 


LE     FETJ-FOLLET.  137 

came  whistling  through  the  air,  in  a  direct  line  for  the 
felucca,  striking  its  mainyard  about  half-way  between  the 
mast  and  the  peak  of  the  sail,  letting  the  former  down  by  the 
run. 

"  Human  natur' !"  ejaculated  Ithuel  —  "  this  is  acting  up 
to  the  contract,  dollars  and  cents !  Captain  Rule,  they 
shoot  better  in  sport,  than  when  they  're  in  downright  airn- 
est." 

"  This  looks  like  real  work,"  answered  Raoul.  "  A  man 
does  not  often  shoot  away  the  mainyard  of  his  friend,  on 
purpose." 

As  soon  as  the  crews  of  the  boats  saw  the  end  of  the  yard 
come  down,  they  ceased  rowing,  and  gave  three  hearty 
cheers,  taking  the  signal  from  Griffin,  who  stood  erect  in 
the  stern  of  the  launch,  to  give  it. 

"  Bah  !" — cried  Raoul — "  these  are  English  John  Bulls, 
without  a  shadow  of  doubt.  Who  ever  knew  the  men  of 
the  republic  shout  like  so  many  Italian  fantoccini,  pulled  by 
wires.  Ah  !  Messieurs  les  Anglais,  you  have  betrayed  your 
secret  by  your  infernal  throats ;  now  look  to  hear  us  tell 
the  remainder  of  the  story." 

Ilhuel  rubbed  his  hands  with  delight,  perfectly  satisfied 
that  Raoul  could  no  longer  be  deceived,  though  the  fire 
between  the  felucca  and  the  launch  was  kept  up  with  spirit, 
the  shooting  being  such  as  might  have  done  credit  to  a  bond 
fide  conflict.  All  this  time  the  sweeps  of  the  felucca  were 
plied,  the  boats  advancing  at  least  two  feet  to  the  chase's 
one.  La  Divina  Providenza  might  now  have  been  three 
hundred  yards  from  the  lugger;  and  the  launch,  the  nearest 
of  the  pursuers,  about  the  same  distance  astern  of  the  felucca. 
Ten  minutes  more  would  certainly  bring  the  seeming  com 
batants  alongside  of  each  other. 

Raoul  ordered  the  sweeps  of  le  Feu-Follet  to  be  run  out, 
and  manned.  At  the  same  time,  her  guns,  twelve-pound 
carronades,  were  cast  loose,  and  primed.  Of  these  she  had 
four  of  a  side,  while  the  two  sixes  on  her  forecastle  were 
prepared  for  similar  service.  When  everything  was  ready, 
the  twelve  sweeps  dropped  into  the  water,  as  by  a  common 
instinct,  and  a  powerful  effort  started  the  lugger  ahead. 
Her  jib  and  jigger  were  both  brailed  at  that  instant.  A 
single  minute  sufficed  to  teach  Winchester  how  hopeless 
12* 


138  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

pursuit  would  be  in  the  felucca,  if  not  in  the  boats  them 
selves,  should  the  lugger  endeavour  to  escape  in  this  manner; 
it  being  quite  practicable  for  her  strong  crew  to  force  her 
through  the  water,  by  means  of  her  sweeps  alone,  from 
three  to  three  and  a  half  knots  in  the  hour.  But  flight  did 
not  appear  to  be  her  object ;  for  her  head  was  laid  towards 
la  Divina  Providenza,  as  if,  deceived  by  the  artifice  of  the 
English,  she  intended  to  prevent  the  capture  of  the  felucca, 
and  to  cover  a  friend. 

Raoul,  however,  understood  himself  far  better  than  this 
supposition  would  give  reason  to  suppose.  He  swept  the 
lugger  up  in  a  line  with  la  Divina  Providenza  and  the  boats, 
in  the  first  place,  as  the  position  in  which  she  would  be  the 
least  likely  to  suffer  from  the  fire  of  the  latter ;  well  knowing 
that  whatever  shot  were  thrown,  were  purposely  sent  so  high 
as  to  do  no  mischief;  and,  in  the  second  place,  that  he 
might  bring  his  enemies  in  a  single  range  from  his  own  guns. 
In  the  meanwhile,  the  felucca  and  the  boats  not  only  con 
tinued  to  use  their  carronades,  but  they  commenced  on  both 
sides  a  brisk  fire  of  musketry ;  the  former  being  now  distant 
only  a  hundred  yards  from  le  Feu-Follet,  exceedingly  hard 
pressed  by  her  adversaries,  so  far  as  appearances  were  con 
cerned.  There  being  no  wind  at  all,  at  this  juncture,  the 
little  there  had  been  having  been  entirely  killed  by  the  con 
cussions  of  the  guns,  the  sea  was  getting  to  be  fast  covered 
with  smoke ;  the  felucca,  in  particular,  showing  more  than 
common  of  the  wreathy  canopy,  over  her  decks,  and  about 
her  spars ;  for,  in  truth,  powder  was  burnt  in  considerable 
quantities,  in  different  parts  of  the  vessel,  with  this  express 
object.  Ithuel  observed,  too,  that  in  the  midst  of  this  con 
fusion  and  cloud,  the  crew  of  la  Divina  Providenza  was  in 
creasing  in  numbers,  instead  of  diminishing  by  the  combat, 
four  sweeps  next  being  out,  each  manned  by  three  men, 
while  near  twenty  more  were  shortly  visible,  running  to  and 
fro,  and  shouting  to  each  other  in  a  language  that  was  in- 
tended  to  be  Italian,  but  which  sounded  much  more,  in  his 
practised  ears,  like  bastard  English.  The  felucca  was  not 
fifty  yards  distant,  when  this  clamour  became  the  loudest ; 
and  the  crisis  was  near.  The  cheers  of  the  boats  on  the 
other  side  of  her,  proclaimed  the  quick  approach  of  Gfifnr. 
and  his  party ;  the  bows  of  la  Divina  Providenza  having 


LE     FEU-POLLET.  139 

been  laid,  in  a  species  of  blind  haste,  directly  in  a  line  which 
would  carry  her  athwart-hawse  of  le  Feu-Follet. 

"  Mes  enfans" — shouted  Raoul — "  soyez  calmes — Fire  !" 

The  whole  of  the  five  guns,  loaded  heavily  with  canister, 
were  discharged  into  the  smoke  of  la  Divina  Providenza. 
The  shrieks  that  succeeded,  sufficiently  proclaimed  with 
what  effect.  A  pause  of  solemn,  wondering  silence  followed, 
on  the  part  of  the  English ;  and  then  arose  a  manly  shout, 
as  if,  prepared  for  every  contingency,  they  were  resolved  to 
brave  the  worst.  The  boats  were  next  seen  coming  round 
the  bows  and  stern  of  the  felucca,  dashing  earnestly  at  their 
real  enemy,  while  their  two  carronades  returned  the  fire, 
this  time  loaded  and  aimed  with  deadly  intent.  But  it  was 
too  late  for  success.  As  Griffin,  in  the  launch,  came  out  of 
ia  Divina  Providenza's  smoke,  he  saw  the  lugger's  sails  all 
opened,  and  filled  with  a  dying  effort  of  the  southerly  air. 
So  light,  however,  was  le  Feu-Follet,  that  a  duck  could 
hardly  have  sailed  away  more  readily  from  the  fowler,  than 
this  little  craft  shot  ahead,  clearing  the  smoke,  and  leaving 
her  pursuers  an  additional  hundred  yards  behind  her.  As 
vhe  air  seemed  likely  to  stand  long  enough  to  place  his  party 
.n  extreme  jeopardy,  under  the  fire  of  the  French,  Winches 
ter  promptly  ordered  the  boats  to  relinquish  the  pursuit,  and 
to  rally  around  the  felucca.  This  command  was  reluctantly 
obeyed,  when  a  moment  was  given  to  both  sides  for  delibe 
ration. 

Le  Feu-Follet  had  sustained  no  injury  worth  mentioning ; 
but  the  English  had  not  less  than  a  dozen  men  slain  or  hurt. 
Among  the  latter  was  Winchester,  himself;  and  as  he  saw 
that  any  success  which  followed  would  fall  principally  to  the 
share  of  his  subordinate,  his  wound  greatly  indisposed  him 
lo  pursue  any  further  a  struggle  that  was  nearly  hopeless, 
as  it  was.  Not  so  with  Raoul  Yvard,  however.  Per 
ceiving  that  the  frigate  had  taken  the  breeze,  as  well  as  him 
self,  and  that  she  was  stealing  along  in  the  direction  of  the 
combatants,  he  determined  to  take  an  ample  revenge  for  the 
audacity  of  the  attempt,  and  then  proceed  on  his  voyage. 

The  lugger  accordingly  tacked,  and  passed  to  windward 
of  the  felucca,  delivering  a  close  and  brisk  fire  as  she  ap 
proached.  At  first  this  fire  was  returned,  but  the  opposition 
soon  ceased ;  and  when  le  Feu-Follet  ranged  up  past  her 


140  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

adversary,  a  few  yards  to  windward,  it  was  seen  that  th< 
English  had  deserted  her  to  a  man,  carrying  off  theii 
wounded.  .  The  boats  were  pulling  through  the  smoke, 
towards  the  bay,  taking  a  direction  opposite  to  that  in  which 
the  lugger's  head  was  laid.  It  would  have  been  easy  for 
the  French  to  ware,  and  probably  to  have  overtaken  the. 
fugitives,  sinking  or  capturing  them  to  a  man  ;  but  there  was 
a  touch  of  high  chivalry  in  the  character  of  Raoul  Yvard, 
and  he  declared,  that  as  the  artifice  had  been  ingeniously 
planned,  and  daringly  attempted,  he  would  follow  up  his 
success  no  farther.  Perhaps  the  appearance  of  Ghita  on 
deck,  imploring  him  to  be  merciful,  had  its  influence;  it  is 
certain  that  not  another  shot  did  he  allow  to  be  fired  at  the 
enemy.  Instead  of  pursuing  her  advantage,  in  this  manner, 
the  lugger  took  in  her  after-sails,  wore  short  round  on  her 
heel,  came  to  the  wind  to-leeward  of  the  felucca,  shivered  all 
forward,  set  her  jigger  again,  and  luffed  up  so  near  what 
may  be  called  the  prize,  that  the  two  vessels  came  together 
so  gently  as  not  to  break  an  egg,  as  it  is  termed.  A  single 
rope  secured  the  felucca  to  the  lugger,  and  Raoul,  Ithuel, 
and  a  few  more,  stepped  on  board  the  former. 

The  decks  of  la  Divina  Providenza  were  reeking  with 
blood ;  and  grape  and  canister  were  sticking  in  handsful,  in 
different  parts  of  the  vessel.  Three  dead  bodies  were  found 
in  her  hold,  but  nothing  having  life  was  met  with  on  board. 
There  was  a  tar-bucket  filled  at  hand,  and  this  was  placed 
beneath  the  hatch,  covered  with  all  the  combustible  materials 
that  could  be  laid  hold  of,  and  set  on  fire.  So  active  were 
the  flames,  at  that  dry  season,  that  Raoul  regretted  he  had 
not  taken  the  precaution  to  awaken  them  after  he  had  re 
moved  his  own  vessel ;  but  the  southerly  air  continuing,  he 
was  enabled  to  get  to  a  safe  distance  before  they  actually 
ascended  the  felucca's  rigging,  and  seized  upon  her  sails. 

Ten  minutes  were  thus  lost,  and  they  had  sufficed  to  carry 
the  boats  out  of  gun-shot,  in-shore,  and  to  bring  the  frigate 
very  nearly  down  within  gun-shot  from  the  south-east.  But, 
hauling  aft  all  his  sheets,  Raoul  soon  took  the  lugger  clear 
of  her  flaming  prize ;  and  then  she  stood  towards  the  west 
end  of  Elba,  going,  as  usual,  in  so  light  an  air,  three  feet  to 
the  frigate's  two.  The  hour,  however,  was  not  favourable 
to  the  continuance  of  the  breeze,  and  in  ten  more  minutes  it 


LE     FEU -FOLLET  .  141 

would  have  puzzled  the  keenest  senses  to  have  detected  the 
slightest  current  of  air  over  the  surface  of  the  sea.  Such 
flickerings  of  the  lamp,  before  it  burnt  entirely  out,  were 
common,  and  Raoul  felt  certain  that  there  would  be  no  more 
wind  that  day,  until  they  got  the  zephyr.  Accordingly,  he 
directed  all  the  sails  to  be  hauled  up,  an  awning  to  be  spread 
over  the  quarter-deck,  and  permission  was  given  to  the 
people  to  attend  to  their  own  affairs.  The  frigate,  too 
seemed  to  be  aware  that  it  was  the  moment  for  the  siesta  of 
vessels,  as  well  as  of  men  ;  for  she  clewed  up  her  royals  and 
top-gallant-sails,  brailed  her  jib  and  spanker,  hauled  up  her 
courses,  and  lay  on  the  water  as  motionless  as  if  sticking  on 
a  shoal.  The  two  vessels  were  barely  long-gun  shot  apart, 
and,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  the  larger  might  have 
seen  fit  to  attack  the  smaller  in  boats ;  but  the  lesson  just 
given  was  a  sufficient  pledge  to  the  French,  against  the  re 
newal  of  any  such  attempt,  and  they  scarcely  paid  their 
neighbour's  prowess  the  compliment  to  watch  him.  Half- 
an-hour  later,  when  Winchester  got  back  to  the  ship,  limp 
ing  with  a  hurt  in  his  leg,  and  with  his  people  exhausted  and 
mortified,  it  was  found  that  the  undertaking  had  cost  the 
lives  of  seven  good  men,  besides  the  temporary  suspension 
of  the  services  of  fifteen  more. 

Captain  Cuffe  was  aware  that  his  enterprise  had  failed,  as 
soon  as  he  perceived  the  lugger  under  her  canvass,  playing 
around  the  felucca  and  the  boats,  held  in  perfect  command. 
But,  when  he  discovered  the  latter  pulling  for  the  shore,  he 
was  certain  that  they  must  have  suffered,  and  he  was  pre 
pared  to  learn  a  serious  loss,  though  not  one  that  bore  so 
large  a  proportion  to  the  whole  numbers  of  the  party  sent 
on  the  expedition.  Winchester  he  considerately  declined 
questioning,  while  his  wound  was  being  dressed ;  but  Griffin 
was  summoned  to  his  cabin,  as  soon  as  the  boats  were 
hoisted  in  and  stowed. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Griffin,  a  d d  pretty  scrape  is  this,  into 

which  you  have  led  me,  among  you,  with  your  wish  to  go 
boating  about  after  luggers,  and  Raoul  Yvards  !  What  will 
the  admiral  say,  when  he  comes  to  hear  of  twenty-two  men's 
being  laid  on  the  shelf,  and  a  felucca  to  be  paid  for,  as  a 
morning's  amusement?" 

*  Really,  Captain  CufFe,  we  did  our  best ;  but  a  rnan  might 


142  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

as  well  have  attempted  to  put  out  Vesuvius  with  snow-balls, 
as  to  stand  the  canister  of  that  infernal  lugger  !  I  don't  think 
there  was  a  square  yard  in  the  felucca  that  was  not  peppered. 
The  men  never  behaved  better ;  and  down  to  the  moment 
when,  we  last  cheered,  I  was  as  sure  of  le  Feu-Follet,  as  .1 
ever  was  of  my  own  promotion." 

"  Ay,  they  needn't  call  her  le  Few-Folly  any  longer,  the 
Great-Folly  being  a  better  name.  What  the  devil  did  you 
cheer  for  at  all,  sir?  did  you  ever  know  a  Frenchman  cheer, 
in  your  life?  That  very  cheering  was  the  cause  of  your 
being  found  out,  before  you  had  time  to  close.  You  should 
have  shouted  vive  la  republique,  as  all  their  craft  do,  when 
we  engage  them.  A  regular  English  hurrah  would  split  a 
Frenchman's  throat." 

"  I  believe  we  did  make  a  mistake  there,  sir  ;  but  I  never 
was  in  an  action  in  which  we  did  not  cheer ;  and  when  it 
got  to  be  warm — or  to  seem  warm — I  forgot  myself,  a  little. 
But,  we  should  have  had  her,  sir,  for  all  that,  had  it  not  been 
for  one  thing." 

"  And  what  is  that,  pray  ?  You  know,  Griffin,  I  must 
have  something  plausible  to  tell  the  admiral ;  it  will  never  do 
to  have  it  published  in  the  gazette  that  we  were  thrashed  by 
our  own  hallooing." 

"  I  was  about  to  say,  Captain  Cuffe,  that  had  not  the 
lugger  fired  her  first  broadside  just  as  she  did,  and  had  she 
given  us  time  to  get  out  of  the  range  of  her  shot,  we 
should  have  come  in  upon  her  before  she  could  have  loaded 
again,  and  carried  her,  in  spite  of  the  breeze  that  so  much 
favoured  her.  Our  having  three  men  hurt  in  the  launch, 
made  some  difference,  too,  and  set  as  many  oars  catching 
crabs,  at  a  most  critical  instant.  Everything  depends  on 
chance,  in  these  matters,  you  know,  sir,  and  that  was  our 
bad  luck." 

"  Umph  ! — It  will  never  do  to  tell  Nelson  that. — '  Every 
thing  was  going  well,  rny  lord,  until  three  of  the  launch's 
people  went  to  work  catching  crabs  with  their  oars,  which 
threw  the  boat  a-stern.' — No,  no,  that  will  never  do  for  a 
gazette.  Let  me  see,  Griffin  ;  after  all,  the  lugger  made  off 
from  you — you  would  have  had  her,  had  she  not  made  sail, 
and  stood  to  tjie  southward  and  westward  on  a  bowline?" 

"  V'es,  sir,  she  certainly  did  that.     Had  she  not  made  sail, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  143 

as  you  say,  nothing  could  have  prevented  our  getting  alonf*. 
side." 

"  Well,  then,  she  ran.  Wind  sprung  up,  enemy  made 
sail — every  attempt  to  get  alongside  unsuccessful. — Brave 
fellows,  cheering  and  doing  their  utmost. — Not  so  bad  an 

account,  after  all — but,  how  about  that  d d  felucca  ? — 

You  see,  she  is  burned  to  the  water's  edge,  and  will  go  down 
in  a  few  minutes." 

"  Very  true,  Captain  Cuffe,  but  not  a  Frenchman  entered 
her,  while  we  were  there — " 

"  Yes,  I  now  see  how  it  was — threw  all  hands  into  the 
boats,  in  chase,  the  felucca  being  too  unwieldy,  and  every 
effort  to  get  alongside  unsuccessful.  He 's  a  devil  of  a  fel 
low,  that  Nelson  &  Bronte ;  and  I  had  rather  hear  the  thun 
der  of  ten  thousand  tempests,  than  get  one  of  his  tempestuous 
letters.  Well,  I  think  I  understand  the  affair,  now,  and 
shall  speak  of  you  all  as  you  deserve.  'T  was  a  gallant 
thing,  though  it  failed.  You  deserved  success,  whatever 
may  have  caused  you  to  lose  it." 

In  this  Captain  Cuffe  was  nearer  right  than  in  anything 
else  he  uttered  on  the  occasion. 


CHAPTER  X. 


**O!  'tis  a  thought  sublime,  that  man  can   force 
A  path  upon  the  waste,  can  find  a  way 
Where  all  is  trackless,  and  compel  the  winds, 
Those  freest  agents  of  Almighty  power, 
To  lend  their  untamed  wings,  and  bear  him  on 
To  distant  climes." 

WARE. 

THE  situation  of  Ghita  Caraccioli,  on  board  the  lugger, 
was  of  the  most  unpleasant  nature,  during  the  ficice  struggle 
we  have  related.  Fortunately,  for  her,  this  struggle  was 
very  short,  Raoul  having  kept  her  in  profound  ignorance  of 
the  approach  of  any  danger,  until  the  instant  le  Feu-Follet 
commenced  her  fire.  It  is  true,  she  had  heard  the  guns 


144  LE     FEU-POLLET. 

between  the  felucca  and  the  boats,  but  this  she  had  been  told 
was  an  affair  in  which  the  privateer  had  no  participation ; 
and  the  reports  sounding  distant,  to  one  in  the  cabin,  she 
had  been  easily  deceived.  While  the  actual  conflict  was 
going  on,  she  was  on  her  knees,  at  the  side  of  her  uncle : 
and  the  moment  it  ceased,  she  appeared  on  deck,  and  inter 
posed  to  save  the  fugitives,  in  the  manner  related. 

Now,  however,  the  scene  was  entirely  changed.  The 
lugger  had  escaped  all  damage,  worthy  of  notice  ;  her  decks 
had  not  been  stained  with  blood  ;  and  her  success  had  been 
as  complete  as  could  be  desired.  In  addition  to  these  ad 
vantages,  the  result  removed  all  apprehension  from  the  only 
source  of  danger  that  Raoul  thought  could  exist,  as  between 
his  own  vessel  and  the  frigate;  or  a  boat-attack  in  a  calm  ; 
for  men  who  had  just  been  so  roughly  handled  in  an  enter 
prise  so  well  concealed,  would  not  be  likely  to  renew  the 
attempt  while  they  still  smarted  under  the  influence  of  the 
late  repulse.  Affairs  of  this  sort  exact  all  the  discipline  and 
resolution  that  a  well-regulated  service  can  afford  ;  and  are 
not  to  be  thought  of  under  the  temporary  demoralization  of 
defeat.  All  in  the  lugger,  therefore,  considered  this  collision 
with  the  Proserpine  at  an  end,  for  the  moment  at  least. 

Ghita  had  dined,  for  the  day  had  now  turned  some  time, 
and  the  girl  had  come  on  deck  to  escape  the  confinement  of 
a  very  small  cabin,  leaving  her  uncle  to  enjoy  his  customary 
siesta.  She  was  seated  under  the  awning  of  the  quarter 
deck,  using  her  needle,  as  was  her  wont,  at  that  hour,  on 
the  heights  of  Argentaro.  Raoul  had  placed  himself  on  a 
gun-slide,  near  her,  and  Ithuel  was  busy  within  a  few  feet 
of  them,  dissecting  a  spy-glass,  with  a  view  to  clean  its 
lenses. 

"  I  suppose,  the  most  excellent  Andrea  Barrofaldi  will 
sing  a  Te  Deum  for  his  escape  from  our  fangs,"  suddenly 
exclaimed  Raoul,  laughing.  "  Pardie  !  he  is  a  great  histo 
rian,  and  every  way  fit  to  write  an  account  of  this  great 
victory,  which  Monsieur  PAnglais,  la  has,  is  about  to  send 
to  his  government !" 

"  And  you,  Raoul,  have  you  no  occasion  for  a  Te  Deum, 
after  your  escape  ?"  demanded  Ghita,  gently,  and  yet  with 
emphasis.  "Is  there  no  God  for  you  to  thank,  as  well  as 
for  the  vice-governatore  V 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  145 

w  Pcstef — our  French  deity  is  little  thought  of,  just  now, 
Ghita.  Republics,  as  you  know,  have  no  great  faith  in 
religion — is  it  not  so,  mon  brave  American  'I  Tell  us,  Etoo- 
cll ;  have  you  any  religion  in  America?" 

As  Ithuel  had  often  heard  Raoul's  opinions  on  this  subject, 
and  knew  the  prevailing  state  of  France,  in  this  particular, 
he  neither  felt  nor  expressed  any  surprise  at  the  question. 
Still,  the  idea  ran  counter  to  all  his  own  notions  and  preju 
dices,  lie  having  been  early  taught  to  respect  religion,  even 
when  he  was  most  serving  the  devil.  In  a  word,  Ithuel 
was  one  of  those  descendants  of  Puritanism,  who,  "  God- 
ward,"  as  it  is  termed,  was  quite  unexceptionable,  so  far 
as  his  theory  extended  ,*  but  who,  "  manward"  was,  "  as  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees."  Nevertheless,  as  he  expressed  it 
himself,  "  he  always  stood  up  for  religion  ;"  a  fact  that  his 
English  companions  had  commented  on  in  jokes;  maintaining 
that  he  even  "  stood  upv  when  the  rest  of  the  ship's  com 
pany  were  on  their  knees. 

"  I  'm  a  little  afraid,  Monsieur  Rule,"  he  answered,  "  that 
in  France  you  have  entered  the  rope  of  republicanism  at  the 
wrong  eend.  In  Ameriky,  we  even  put  religion  before  dol 
lars  ;  and  if  that  isn't  convincing,  I  '11  give  it  up.  Now,  I 
do  wish  you  could  see  a  Sunday  once  in  the  Granite  State, 
Signorina  Ghita,  that  you  might  get  some  notion  what  our 
western  religion  ra'ally  is." 

"All  real  religion — all  real  devotion  to  God,  is,  or  ought 
to  be,  the  same,  Signor  Ithuel lo,  whether  in  the  east  or  in 
th-i  west.  A  Christian,  is  a  Christian;  let  him  live  and  die 
wnere  he  may." 

"  That 's  not  exactly  platform,  I  fancy.  Why,  Lord  bless 
ye,  young  lady — yovr  religion,  now,  is  no  more  like  mine, 
than  my  religion  is  like  that  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canter 
bury's,  or  Monsieur  Rule's,  here  !" 

"  La  mienne  !"  exclaimed  Raoul  —  "I  pretend  to  none, 
mon  brave;  there  can  be  no  likeness  to  nothing." 

Ghita's  glance  was  kind,  rather  than  reproachful ;  but  it 
ivas  profoundly  sorrowful. 

*  In  what  can  our  religion  differ,"  she  asked,  "  if  we  are 
both  Christians?  Americans,  or  Italians,  it  is  all  the  same." 

"  That  comes  of  knowing  nothing  about  Ameriky,"  said 
Ithuel,  filled  with  the  conceit  of  his  own  opinion  of  himself, 
13 


146  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

•md  of  the  part  of  the  world  from  which  he  came.  "  In  the 
first  place,  you  have  a  Pope,  and  cardinals,  and  bishops,  and 
all  such  things,  in  your  religion ;  while  we  have  none." 

"  Certainly,  there  is  the  Holy  Father,  and  there  are  cardi 
nals  ;  but  they  are  not  my  religion,"  answered  Ghita,  look 
ing  surprised.  "  Bishops,  it  is  true,  are  appointed  of  God, 
and  form  part  of  his  church  ;  and  the  bishop  of  Rome  is  the 
head  of  the  church  on  earth — but  nothing  more." 

"  Nothing  more  ! — Don't  you  worship  images,  and  take  off 
and  put  on  garments  at  your  prayers,  and  kneel  down  in  a 
make-believe,  profane  way  ;  and  don't  you  turn  everything 
into  vain  ceremonies  7" 

Had  Ithuel  been  engaged,  body  and  soul,  in  maintaining 
one  of  the  propositions  of  the  Oxford  Tracts'  controversy,  he 
could  not  have  uttered  these  words  with  greater  zeal,  or  with 
a  more  self-righteous  emotion.  His  mind  was  stored  with 
the  most  vulgar  accusations  of  an  exceedingly  vulgar  set  of 
sectarian  distinctions  ;  and  he  fancied  it  a  high  proof  of 
Protestant  perfection,  to  hold  all  the  discarded  usages  in 
abhorrence.  On  the  other  hand,  Ghita  listened  with  sur 
prise  ;  for,  to  her,  the  estimation  in  which  the  rites  of  the 
Romish  church  were  held  by  the  great  bulk  of  Protestants, 
was  a  profound  secret.  The  idea  of  worshipping  an  image, 
never  crossed  her  innocent  mind ;  and  although  she  often 
knelt  before  her  own  little  ivory  crucifix,  she  had  never  sup 
posed  any  could  be  so  ignorant  as  to  confound  the  mere 
material  representation  of  the  sacrifice  it  was  meant  to  pour- 
tray,  with  the  divine  expiation  itself. 

"  It  is  decent  to  use  proper  vestments,  at  the  altar,"  she 
replied;  "and  its  servants  ought  not  to  be  clad  like  othei 
men.  We  know  it  is  the  heart,  the  soul,  that  must  be 
touched,  to  find  favour  with  God ;  but  this  does  not  make 
the  outward  semblance  of  respect  that  we  show  even  to  each 
o>her,  the  less  necessary.  As  to  worshipping  images — that 
would  be  idolatry  ;  and  as  bad  as  the  poor  heathens,  them 
selves." 

Ithuel  looked  mystified  :  for  he  never  doubted,  in  the  least, 
that  the  worshipping  of  images  was  a  material  part  of  Catho 
lic  devotion  ;  and,  as  for  the  pope  and  the  cardinals,  he 
deemed  them  all  as  indispensable  to  the  creed  of  this  church; 
as  he  fancied  it  important,  in  his  own.  that  the  priests  should 


LE     PEU-FOLLET.  147 

not  wear  gowns ;  and  that  the  edifices  in  which  they  wor 
shipped,  should  have  square-topped  windows.  Absurd  as 
all  this  may  seem,  to-day,  and  wicked  as  it  will  probably 
appear  a  century  hence,  it  formed,  and  forms,  no  small  part 
of  sectarian  belief;  and  entered  into  the  animosities  and 
jealousies  of  those  who  seem  to  think  it  necessary  to  quarrel 
for  the  love  of  God.  Could  we  but  look  back  at  our  own 
changes  of  opinion,  it  would  render  us  less  confident  of  the 
justice  of  our  sentiments;  and,  most  of  all,  one  would  think 
that  the  American,  who  has  lived  long  enough  to  witness 
the  summersets  that  have  been  thrown  in  the  practices  and 
creeds  of  most  of  the  more  modern  sects  of  his  own  country, 
within  the  last  quarter  of  a  century,  would  come  to  have 
something  like  a  suitable  respect  for  the  more  stable  and 
venerable  divisions  of  the  Christian  world. 

"  Proper  vestments !"  repeated  Ithuel,  with  contempt ; 
"  what  vestments  are  wanting,  in  the  eyes  of  the  Supreme 
Being  1  No  ;  if  I  must  have  religion  —  and  I  know  it 's 
necessary  and  whullsum',  let  it  be  a  pure,  naked  religion, 
that  will  stand  to  reason.  Is  not  that  your  way  of  thinking, 
Monsieur  Rule  ?" 

"Mafoi,  oui.  Reason  before  all  things,  Ghita;  and, 
most  of  all,  reason  in  religion." 

"  Ah  !  Raoul,  this  it  is  which  misleads  and  betrays  you," 
returned  the  girl,  earnestly.  "  Faith,  and  a  meek  dependence, 
is  what  makes  a  proper  state  of  feeling ;  and  yet  you  demand 
a  reason  of  Him  who  created  the  universe,  and  breathed  into 
you  the  breath  of  life  !" 

"  Are  we  not  reasoning  creatures,  Ghita,"  returned  Raoul, 
gently,  and  yet  with  a  sincerity  and  truth,  for  the  circum 
stances,  that  rendered  even  his  scepticism  piquant  and  re 
spectable  ;  "  and  is  it  unreasonable  to  expect  us  to  act  up  to 
our  natures  1  Can  I  worship  a  God  I  do  not  understand  ?" 

"  Couldst  thou  worship  one  thou  didst?  He  would  cease 
to  be  a  deity,  and  would  become  one  of  ourselves,  were  his 
nature  and  attributes  brought  down  to  the  level  of  our  com 
prehensions.  Did  one  of  thy  followers  come  on  this  quarter 
deck,  and  insist  on  hearing  all  thine  own  motives  for  the 
orders  given  in  this  little  felucca,  how  readily  wouldst  thou 
drive  him  back,  as  mutinous  and  insolent;  and  yet  thou 


148  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

wouldst  question  the  God  of  the  universe,  and  pr}  into  his 
mysteries  !" 

Raoul  was  mute,  while  Ithuel  stared.  It  was  so  seldom 
that  Ghita  lost  her  exceeding  gentleness  of  manner,  that  the 
flush  of  her  cheek,  the  severe  earnestness  of  her  eyes,  the 
mpassioned  modulations  of  her  voice,  and  the  emphasis  with 
which  she  spoke  on  this  occasion,  produced  a  sort  of  awe, 
that  prevented  the  discourse  from  proceeding  further.  The 
girl,  herself,  was  so  much  excited,  that,  after  sitting  for  a 
minute  with  her  hands  before  her  face,  the  tears  were  seen 
forcing  their  way  through  her  fingers.  She  then  arose,  and 
darted  into  the  cabin.  Raoul  was  too  observant  of  the  rules 
of  propriety  to  think  of  following ;  but  he  sat  moody  and 
lost  in  thought,  until  Ithuel  drew  his  attention  to  himself. 

"  Gals  will  be  gals,"  said  that  refined  and  philosophical 
observer  of  the  human  family,  "  and  nothing  touches  their 
natur's  sooner  than  a  little  religious  excitement.  1  dare 
say,  if  it  wasn't  for  images,  and  cardinals,  and  bishops,  and 
such  creatur's,  the  Italians  (Ithuel  always  pronounced  this 
word  ^7/etalians)  would  make  a  very  good  sort  of  Chris 
tians." 

But  Raoul  was  in  no  humour  to  converse ;  and  as  the 
hour  had  now  arrived  when  the  zephyr  was  to  be  expected, 
he  rose,  ordered  the  awning  taken  in,  and  prepared  to  make 
himself  master  of  the  slate  of  things  around  him.  There 
lay  the  frigate,  taking  her  siesta,  like  all  near ;  her  three 
topsails  standing,  but  every  other  sail  that  was  loose,  hang 
ing  in  festoons,  waiting  for  the  breeze.  Notwithstanding 
her  careless  appearance,  so  closely  had  she  been  tended, 
for  the  last  few  hours,  however,  and  so  sedulously  had  even 
the  smallest  breath  of  air  been  improved,  that  Raoul  started 
with  surprise,  when  he  found  how  much  nearer  she  was 
than  when  he  had  last  looked  at  her.  The  whole  trick  was 
apparent  to  him,  at  a  glance ;  and  he  was  compelled  to  ac 
knowledge  his  own  remissness,  when  he  perceived  that  he 
lay  within  the  reach  of  the  shot  of  this  powerful  foe ;  though 
still  so  distant  as  to  render  her  aim  a  little  uncertain ;  more 
especially  should  a  sea  get  up.  The  felucca  had  burnt  to 
the  water's  edge  ;  but,  owing  to  the  smoothness  of  the  water, 
her  wreck  still  floated,  and  was  slowly  setting  into  the  bay 
there  being  a  slight  current  in  that  direction,  where  she  now 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  149 

lay.  The  town  was  basking  in  the  afternoon's  sun,  though 
hid  from  view,  and  the  whole  island  of  Elba  had  the  ap 
pearance  of  being  asleep. 

"  What  a  siesta !"  said  Raoul,  to  Ithuel,  as  both  stood  on 
the  heel  of  the  bowsprit,  looking  curiously  at  the  scene: 
"  sea,  land,  mountains,  bourgeois  and  mariners  all  dozing. 
Bien ;  there  is  life,  yonder  at  the  west,  and  we  must  get 
farther  from  votre  Proserpine.  Call  the  hands,  Monsieur 
Lieutenant.  Let  us  get  out  our  sweeps,  and  put  the  head 
of  le  Feu-Follet  the  other  way.  Peste !  the  lugger  is  so  sharp, 
and  has  such  a  trick  of  going  exactly  where  she  looks,  that 
I  am  afraid  she  has  been  crawling  up  towards  her  enemy, 
as  the  child  creeps  into  the  fire  that  burns  its  fingers." 

All  hands  were  soon  in  motion  on  board  le  Feu-Follet, 
the  sweeps  were  on  the  point  of  being  handled,  when  the 
jigger  fluttered,  and  the  first  puff  of  the  expected  western 
breeze  swept  along  the  surface  of  the  waters.  To  the  sea 
men,  it  was  like  inhaling  oxygen  gas.  Every  appearance 
of  drowsiness  deserted  the  people  of  both  vessels,  and  every 
one  was  instantly  busy  in  making  sail.  Raoul  had  a  proof 
into  what  dangerous  proximity  to  the  frigate  he  had  got,  by 
the  sound  of  the  calls  on  board  her ;  and  the  stillness  of 
the  sea  was  yet  so  great,  that  the  creaking  of  her  fore-yard 
was  actually  audible  to  him,  as  the  English  rounded  in  their 
braces  briskly,  while  laying  their  fore-top-sail  aback. 

At  that  moment  a  second  respiration  of  the  atmosphere 
gave  birth  to  the  breeze.  Raoul  whistled  for  the  wind,  and 
the  lugger  moved  ahead,  gliding  towards  the  frigate.  But, 
in  half  a  minute,  she  had  gathered  sufficient  way,  her  helm 
was  put  down,  and  she  came  round  as  easily  and  as  grace 
fully  as  the  bird  turns  on  his  wing.  Not  so  with  the  heavier 
frigate.  She  had  hauled  in  her  starboard  head-braces,  and 
had  to  get  the  foretopsail  aback,  and  to  pay  well  off*  with 
her  head  to  leeward,  in  order  to  swing  her  yards  and  fill 
her  sails,  while  le  Feu-Follet  was  slipping  through  the  water, 
going  seemingly  into  the  wind's  eye.  By  this  single  evolu 
tion,  the  lugger  gained  more  than  a  cable's-lei.jgth  on  her 
enemy,  and  five  minutes  more  would  have  put  her  beyond 
all  immediate  danger.  But,  Captain  CufFe  knew  this,  as 
well  as  his  competitor,  and  had  made  his  preparations  ac 
cordingly.  Keeping  his  head-yards  aback,  he  knocked  his 
13* 


150  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

ship  round  off,  until  her  broadside  bore  on  the  lugger,  when 
he  let  fly  every  gun  of  his  starboard  batteries,  the  utmos* 
care  having  been  taken  to  make  the  shot  tell.  Twenty-two 
heavy  round-shot  coming  in  at  once  upon  a  little  craft,  like 
le  Feu-Follet,  was  a  fearful  visitation;  and,  the  boldest  held 
their  breath  for  a  time,  as  the  iron  whirlwind  whistled  past 
them.  Fortunately,  the  lugger  was  not  hulled ;  but  a  grave 
amount  of  mischief  was  done  aloft.  The  jigger-mast  was 
cut  in  two,  and  flew  upward  like  a  pipe-stem.  A  serious 
wound  was  given  to  the  mainmast  below  the  hounds,  and  the 
yard  itself  was  shivered  in  the  slings.  No  less  than  six 
shot  plunged  through  both  luggs,  leaving  holes  in  the  canvass 
that  made  it  resemble  a  beggar's  shirt,  and  the  jib-stay  was 
cut  in  two  half- way  between  the  mast-head  and  the  end  of 
the  bowsprit.  No  one  was  hurt ;  and,  yet,  for  a  moment, 
every  one  looked  as  if  destruction  had  suddenly  lighted  on 
the  lugger.  Then  it  was  that  Raoul  came  out,  in  his  true 
colours.  He  knew  he  could  not  spare  a  stitch  of  canvass 
just  at  that  moment,  but,  that  on  the  next  ten  minutes  de 
pended  every  thing.  Nothing  was  taken  in,  therefore,  to 
secure  spars  and  sails,  but  all  was  left  to  stand,  trusting  to 
the  lightness  of  the  breeze,  which  usually  commenced  very 
moderately.  Hands  were  immediately  set  to  work,  to  get 
up  a  new  stay  ;  a  new  main-yard  and  sail  were  got  along, 
and  every  thing  was  prepared  for  hoisting  both,  as  soon  as 
it  could  be  ascertained  that  the  mast  would  bear  them.  Nearly 
similar  preparations  were  made  forward,  as  the  shortest  way 
of  getting  rid  of  the  torn  fore-sail ;  for  these,  it  was  the  in 
tention  to  unbend  and  bend,  the  yard  being  sound. 

Luckily,  Captain  Cuffe  determined  to  lose  no  more  time 
with  his  guns,  but  swinging  his  head-yards,  the  frigate  came 
sweeping  up  to  the  wind,  and  in  three  minutes  every  thing 
was  trimmed  for  the  utmost.  All  this  time,  le  Feu-Follet 
had  not  stood  still.  Her  canvass  fluttered,  but  it  held  on, 
and  even  the  spars  kept  their  places,  though  so  much  in 
jured.  In  a  word,  the  wind  was  not  yet  strong  enough  to 
tear  the  one,  or  to  carry  away  the  other.  It  was  an  advan 
tage,  too,  that  these  casualties,  particularly  the  loss  of  her 
jigger,  rendered  le  Feu-Follet  less  weatherly  than  she  would 
otherwise  have  been,  since  by  keeping  the  frigate  directly 
in  her  wake,  she  was  less  exposed  to  the  chase-guns,  than 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  151 

she  would  have  been  a  little  on  either  bow.  Of  this  truth, 
Raoul  was  soon  persuaded,  the  Proserpine  beginning  to  work 
both  her  bow-guns,  as  soon  as  she  came  to  the  wind,  though 
neither  exactly  bore ;  the  shot  of  one  ranging  a  little  to 
windward,  and  the  other  about  as  much  on  the  other  side. 
By  these  shot,  too,  the  young  Frenchman  soon  had  the  sa 
tisfaction  of  seeing  that,  notwithstanding  her  injuries,  the 
lugger  was  drawing  ahead ; — a  fact  of  which  the  English 
became  so  sensible  themselves,  that  they  soon  ceased  firing. 

So  far,  things  went  better  than  Raoul  had  reason,  at  first, 
to  hope,  though  he  well  knew  that  the  crisis  was  yet  to 
come.  The  westerly  wind  often  blew  fresh  at  that  period 
of  the  day,  and  should  it  now  increase  he  would  require  all 
his  canvass  to  get  clear  of  a  ship  with  the  known  qualities 
of  the  vessel  in  chase.  How  much  longer  his  mast  or  his 
main-yard  would  stand  he  did  not  know,  but  as  he  was  fast 
gaining,  he  determined  to  make  hay  while  the  sun  shone, 
and  get  far  enough  ahead,  if  possible,  before  the  breeze 
grew  fresh,  to  enable  him  to  shift  his  sails  and  fish  his  spars, 
without  being  again  brought  within  the  reach  of  visitors  as 
rude  as  those  who  had  so  lately  come  hurtling  into  his  thin 
hamper.  The  proper  precautions  were  not  neglected,  in  the 
meantime.  Men  were  sent  aloft  to  do  what  they  could, 
under  the  circumstances,  with  the  two  spars ;  and  the  strain 
was  a  little  relieved  by  keeping  the  lugger  as  much  away, 
as  might  be  done  without  enabling  the  frigate  to  set  her 
studding  sails. 

There  is  always  something  so  exciting  in  a  chase,  that 
seamen  never  fail  to  wish  for  more  wind ;  forgetful  that  tho 
power  which  increases  their  own  speed,  may  also  increase 
the  speed  of  the  other  party,  and  that  too  in  an  undue  pro 
portion.  It  would  have  been  more  favourable  to  le  Feu- 
Follet  to  have  had  less  wind  than  even  now  blew,  since  her 
relative  rate  of  sailing  was  greater  in  light  than  in  strong 
breezes.  Raoul  knew,  from  IthuePs  statements,  that  the 
Proserpine  was  an  exceedingly  fast  ship,  more  especially 
when  it  blew  fresh ;  and  yet  it  did  not  appear  to  him  that 
his  lugger  got  along  with  sufficient  speed,  though  his  enemy 
would  be  certain  to  follow  at  a  rate  of  sailing  in  a  just  pro 
portion  to  his  own,  did  there  come  more  wind. 

The  wish  of  the  young  privateersman,  however,  was  soon 


152  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

gratified.  The  wind  freshened  materially,  and  by  the  time 
the  two  vessels  opened  the  Canal  of  Corsica,  as  the  passage 
between  that  island  and  Elba  is  called,  the  frigate  wag 
obliged  to  take  in  her  royals,  and  two  or  three  of  those  light 
and  lofty  staysails,  which  it  was  then  the  custom  for  ships 
to  carry.  At  first,  Raoul  had  thought  he  might  fetch  into 
Bastia,  which  lies  due-west  of  the  southern  end  of  Elba; 
but  though  the  wind  drew  a  little  down  through  the  canal,  it 
soon  blew  too  fresh  to  allow  any  formation  of  the  land  ma 
terially  to  alter  its  current.  The  zephyr,  as  the  afternoon's 
summer  breeze  of  southern  Italy,  in  particular,  was  termed 
by  the  ancients,  is  seldom  a  due-west  wind,  there  gene 
rally  being  a  little  northing  in  it,  as  seamen  say  ;  and,  as  one 
'gets  farther  up  the  coast,  this  same  wind  ordinarily  comes 
round  the  head  of  Corsica,  blowing  from  nearly  west-north 
west.  This  would  have  enabled  the  lugger  to  lay  her  course 
for  a  deep  bay  on  which  lies  the  town  of  Biguglia,  could  she 
have  been  jammed  up  on  a  wind,  as  might  usually  have  been 
done ;  but,  a  few  minutes  of  experiment  convinced  Raoul 
that  he  must  be  more  tender  on  his  wounded  spars,  and  keep 
off  for  the  mouth  of  the  Golo.  This  was  a  river  of  some 
size  into  which  it  was  possible  for  a  vessel  of  a  light  draught 
to  enter ;  and,  as  there  stood  a  small  battery  near  the  anchor 
age,  he  determined  to  seek  shelter  in  that  haven,  in  order  to 
repair  his  damages.  His  calculations  were  made  accord 
ingly,  and,  taking  the  snow-clad  peaks  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Corte  as  his  land-marks,  he  ordered  the  lugger  to  be 
steered  in  the  proper  direction. 

On  board  the  Proserpine,  there  was  scarcely  less  interest  felt 
in  the  result,  than  on  board  le  Feu-Follet.  If  the  people  of 
the  frigate  had  nothing  to  apprehend,  they  had  something  to 
revenge;  in  addition  to  the  anticipated  credit  of  having  cap 
tured  the  boldest  privateer  that  sailed  out  of  France.  For 
a  short  time,  as  the  ship  came  up  with  the  west  end  of  Elba, 
it  was  a  serious  question  whether  she  would  be  able  to  wea 
ther  it,  the  lugger  having  gone  past,  within  a  cable's-length 
of  the  cliffs,  on  the  very  verge  of  the  breakers,  and  much 
closer  in  than  the  frigate  would  dare  to  follow.  But  the  last 
had  taken  the  breeze  farther  off  the  land  than  the  first,  and 
might  possibly  fetch  past  the  promontory,  on  the  tack  she 
then  steering.  To  have  gone  about,  would  have  been 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  153 

to  abandon  the  chase,  as  it  would  have  carried  the  ship  off, 
due  north,  while  leFeu-Follet  was  gliding  down  to  the  south 
ward  and  westward,  at  the  rate  of  seven  knots.  The  dis 
tance  across  the  canal  is  only  about  thirty  miles,  and  there 
would  not  have  been  time  to  recover  the  lost  ground. 

This  uncertainty  made  a  most  feverish  moment  on  board 
the  Proserpine,  as  she  came  up  fast  towards  the  headland. 
Ail  depended  on  getting  by  without  tacking.  The  appear 
ances  were  favourable  lor  deep  water,  close  in ;  but  there  is 
always  the  danger  of  rocks  to  be  dreaded,  near  mountainous 
coasts.  The  promontory,  too,  was  comparatively  low  ;  and 
this  was  rather  an  indication  that  it  ought  not  to  be  ap 
proached  too  closely.  Winchester  was  in  his  berth,  just 
beginning  to  feel  the  smart  of  his  wound;  but  Griffin  was  at 
the  captain's  elbow,  both  he  and  the  third  lieutenant,  entering 
keenly  into  all  their  commander's  wishes  and  anxieties. 

"  There  she  goes,  into  the  very  breakers !"  exclaimed 
Cuffe,  as  they  watched  le  Feu-Follet,  in  her  attempt  to  pass 
the  promontory ;  "  Monsieur  Yvard  must  be  determined  to 
cast  away  his  craft,  rather  than  be  taken.  It  will  be  touch 
and  go  with  him." 

"  I  think  not,  Captain  Cuffe,"  answered  Griffin ;  "  the 
coast  is  bold,  hereabouts,  and  even  the  Proserpine  would  find 
sufficient  water,  there,  where  the  lugger  now  is.  I  hope  we 
shall  not  be  obliged  to  tack,  sir." 

"  Ay,  this  is  very  well  for  an  irresponsible — but,  when  it 
got  to  a  court,  and  punishment,  I  fear  that  all  the  last  would 
fall  on  my  shoulders,  should  his  Majesty's  ship  happen  to  lay 
her  bones  along-shore,  here.  No,  no,  Griffin  ;  we  must  go 
a  clear  cable's-length  to  windward  of  that,  or  I  go  about, 
though  Raoul  Yvard  were  never  taken." 

"  There,  he  fetches-up,  by  George!"  cried  Yelverton,  the 
youngest  lieutenant ;  and,  for  a  moment,  it  was,  in  truth, 
believed  in  the  frigate,  that  le  Feu-Follet,  as  a  breaker  actu 
ally  curled  directly  under  her  lee,  was  aground.  But  this 
notion  lasted  a  moment  only,  the  little  lugger  continuing  her 
course  as  swiftly  as  before  ;  and,  a  minute  or  two  later,  keep 
ing  a  little  away,  to  ease  her  spars,  having  been  jammed  up 
as  close  as  possible,  previously,  in  order  to  weather  the  ex 
treme  end  of  what  was  thought  to  be  the  dangerous  point. 
The  frigate  was  fully  two  miles  a-stern ;  and,  instead  of 


154  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

losing  anything  of  her  vantage-ground,  she  was  kept  so  near 
the  wind,  as  to  be  occasionally  touching.  This  was  the  more 
sale,  inasmuch  as  the  sea  was  perfectly  smooth,  and  the 
vessel  made  no  lee-way.  Still  the  frigate  looked,  as  it  ia 
termed,  barely  up  to  the  point  it  was  deemed  indispensable 
to  weather ;  and  as  ships  rarely  "  do"  better  than  they  "  look," 
it  became  a  question  of  serious  doubt,  on  board  the  Proser* 
pine,  as  she  carne  up  with  the  headland,  whether  she  could 
clear  it. 

"1  am  afraid,  Captain  Cuffe,  we  shall  never  clear  it  with 
a  good-enough  berth,  sir,"  observed  the  fidgeting  Griffin  ;  "  it 
seems,  to  me,  the  ship  sets  unaccountably  to  leeward,  to- 
day  I" 

"  She  never  behaved  hetter,  Griffin.  I  am  really  in  hopes 
there  is  a  slight  current  off-shore,  here ;  if  anything,  we 
actually  open  the  highlands  of  Corsica,  by  this  promontory. 
You  see  that  the  wreck  of  la  Divina  Providenza  is  sweeping 
round  the  bay,  arid  is  coming  out  to  windward,  again." 

"  That  may  serve  us,  indeed !  All  ready  in  the  chains, 
sir  ! — shall  we  make  a  cast  of  the  lead  1" 

Cuffe  assented,  and  the  lead  was  hove.  At  this  moment 
the  ship  was  going  eight  knots,  and  the  man  reported  no 
bottom,  with  fifteen  fathoms  of  line  out.  This  was  well ; 
and  two  or  three  subsequent  casts  confirmed  it.  Orders 
were  now  given  to  drag  every  bowline,  swig-off*  on  every 
brace,  and  flatten-in  all  the  sheets.  Even  the  halyards 
were  touched,  in  order  that  the  sails  might  stand  like  boards. 
The  trying  moment  was-  near ;  five  minutes  must  decide 
the  matter. 

"  Let  her  shake  a  little  Mr.  Yelverton,  and  eat  into  the 
wind,"  said  Cuffe,  addressing  the  officer  of  the  watch  ;  "  we 
must  do  all  we  can  here  ;  for,  when  abreast  of  the  breakers, 
everything  must  be  a  rap-full,  to  keep  the  ship  under  quick 
command.  There — meet  her  with  the  helm,  and  give  her  a 
good  full." 

This  experiment  was  repeated  twice,  and  each  time  the 
frigate  gained  her  length  to  windward,  though  she  neces 
sarily  lost  more  than  three  times  that  distance  in  her  velocity. 
At  length,  the  trial  came,  and  a  profound  silence,  one  in 
which  nervousness  and  anxiety  were  blended  with  hope, 
reigned  in  the  vessel.  The  eyes  of  all  turned  from  the  sails 


LE    PEU-FOLLET.  155 

to  the  breakers  ;  from  the  breakers  to  the  sails ;  and  from 
both  to  the  wake  of  the  ship. 

At  such  moments  the  voice  of  the  lead's-man  prevails  over 
all  other  sounds.  His  warning  cry  is  listened  to  with  breath 
less  attention,  when  the  songs  of  a  siren  would  be  unheard. 
Cast  after  cast  was  made,  as  the  ship  drove  on,  and  the 
answer  to  Cuffe's  questions,  was  uniformly,  "  no  bottom,  sir, 
with  fifteen  fathoms  out ;"  but,  just  at  this  instant,  arose  the 
regular  song  from  the  weather  main-chains,  of  "  by  the  mark 
seven !"  This  came  so  suddenly  on  the  Captain's  ear,  that 
he  sprang  upon  the  taffrail,  where  he  could  command  a  full 
view  of  all  he  wanted  to  see ;  and  then  he  called  out,  in  a 
stentorian  voice  : 

"  Heave  again,  sir ! — be  brisk,  my  lad  ! — be  brisk !" 

"  Be-e-e-ther-r-r-dee-e-e-eep  six !"  followed  almost  ait 
soon  as  the  Captain's  voice  had  ceased. 

"  Ready-about !"  shouted  Cuffe.  "  See  ail  clear,  gentle- 
men. — Move  lively,  men  ;  move  lively." 

«  And-a-a-eh  half-ef-four-— " 

"  Stand  by  ! — What  the  devil  are  you  at,  sir,  on  that  fore 
castle  1 — Are  you  ready,  forward  ?" 

"  All  ready,  sir — " 

"  Down  with  your  helm — hard  down,  at  once — " 

"  Be-e-e-ther-r-r-dee-e-e-p  nine — " 

"Meet  her!  —  up  with  your  helm.  —  Haul  down  your 
sheets,  forward — brail  the  spanker — let  go  all  the  bowlines, 
aft. — So — well,  there,  well. — She  flew  round  like  a  top ;  but, 
by  Jove,  we  Ve  caught  her,  gentlemen. — Drag  your  bow 
lines,  again. — What 's  the  news  from  the  chains  ?" 

"  No  bottom,  sir,  with  fifteen  fathoms  out — and  as  good 
a  cast,  too,  sir,  as  we  've  had  to-day." 

"  So — you  're  rap  full — don't  fall  off —  very  well  dyce" 
(Anglice,  thus) — "  keep  her  as  you  are. — Well,  by  the  Lord, 
Griffin,  that  was  a  shave  ;  half- four  was  getting  to  be  squally, 
in  a  quarter  of  the  world  where  a  rock  makes  nothing  of 
pouting  its  lips  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  at  a  time  at  a  mariner. 
We  are  past  it  all,  however,  and  here  is  the  land,  trending 
away  to  the  southward,  like  a  man  in  a  consumption,  fairly 
under  our  lee.  A  dozen  Raoul  Yvards  wouldn't  lead  me 
into  such  a  d d  scrape,  again  !" 

"  The  danger  that  is  over,  is  no  longer  a  danger  at  all. 


156  LEFEU-FOLLET 

sir,"  answered  Griffin,  laughing.  "  Don't  you  think,  Cap 
tain  Cuffe,  we  might  ease  her  about  half  a  point  1  that  would 
be  just  her  play  ;  and  the  lugger  keeps  off  a  little,  I  rather 
suspect,  to  ease  her  mainmast.  I  'm  certain  I  saw  chips 
fly  from  it,  when  we  dosed  her  with  them  two-and-twenty 
pills." 

"  Perhaps  you  're  right,  Griffin. — Ease  her,  with  the  helm, 
a  little,  Mr.  Yelverton.  If  Master  Yvard  stands  on  his  pre 
sent  course  an  hour  longer,  Biguglia  will  be  too  far  to-wind 
ward  for  him;  and,  as  for  Bastia,  that  has  been  out  of  the 
question,  from  the  first.  There  is  a  river,  called  Golo,  into 
which  he  might  run ;  and  that,  I  rather  think,  is  his  aim. 
Four  hours,  however,  will  let  us  into  the  secret." 

And  four  intensely  interesting  hours  were  those  which 
succeeded.  The  wind  was  a  cap-full ;  a  good,  fresh,  west 
erly  breeze,  which  seemed  to  have  started  out  of  the  oven- 
like  heat  of  a  week  of  intensely  hot  weather  that  had  pre 
ceded  it,  and  to  have  collected  the  force  of  two  or  three  zephyrs 
into  one.  It  was  not  a  gale,  at  all,  nor  did  it  induce  either 
party  to  think  of  reefing ;  for,  no  trifle  would  have  done 
that,  under  the  circumstances  ;  but  it  caused  the  Proserpine 
to  furl  her  fore  and  mizzen-top-gallant-sails,  and  put  Raoul 
in  better  humour  with  the  loss  of  his  jigger.  When  fairly 
round  the  headland,  and,  at  a  moment  when  he  fancied  the 
frigate  would  be  compelled  to  tack,  the  latter  had  seized  an 
opportunity  to  get  in  his  foresail,  to  unbend  it,  and  to  bend 
and  set  a  new  one ;  an  operation  that  took  just  four  minutes, 
by  the  watch.  He  would  have  tried  the  same  experiment 
with  the  other  lugg,  but  the  rnast  was  scarce  worth  the  risk, 
and  he  thought  the  holes  might  act  as  reefs,  and  thus  dimin 
ish  the  strain.  In  these  four  hours,  owing  to  the  disadvan 
tage  under  which  le  Feu-Follet  laboured,  there  was  not  a 
difference  of  half  a  knot  in  the  distance  run  by  the  two  ves 
sels,  though  each  passed  over  more  than  thirty  miles  of 
water.  During  this  time  they  had  been  drawing  rapidly 
nearer  to  the  coast  of  Corsica,  the  mountains  of  which, 
ragged  and  crowned  with  nearly  eternal  snows,  had  been 
glittering  in  the  afternoon's  sun,  before  them,  though  they 
lay  many  a  long  league  inland.  But  the  formation  of  the 
coast,  itself,  had  now  become  plain,  and  Raoul,  an  hour 
before  the  sun  disappeared,  had  noted  his  landmarks,  by 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  157 

which  to  make  for  the  river  he  intended  to  enter.  The 
eastern  coast  of  Corsica  is  as  deficient  in  bays  and  harbours, 
as  its  western  is  affluent  with  them  ;  and  this  Golo,  for  which 
the  lugger  was  shaping  her  course,  would  never  have  been 
thought  of,  as  a  place  of  shelter,  under  ordinary  circum 
stances.  But,  Raoul  had  once  anchored  in  its  mouth,  and 
he  deemed  it  the  very  spot  in  which  to  elude  his  enemy.  It 
had  shoals  off  its  embouchure;  and  these,  he  rightly  enough 
fancied,  would  induce  Captain  Cuffe  to  be  wary. 

As  the  evening  approached,  the  wind  began  to  decrease  in 
force,  and  then  the  people  of  the  lugger  lost  all  their  ap 
prehensions.  The  spars  had  all  stood,  and  Raoul  no  longer 
hesitated  about  trusting  his  wounded  mainmast  with  a  new 
yard  and  sail.  Both  were  got  up,  and  the  repairs  were  im 
mediately  commenced.  The  superiority  of  the  lugger,  in 
sailing,  was  now  so  great,  as  to  put  it  out  of  all  question 
that  she  was  not  to  be  overtaken  in  the  chase;  and  Raoul,  a\ 
one  time,  actually  thought  of  turning  up  along  the  land,  and 
going  into  Bastia,  where  he  might  even  provide  himself  with 
a  new  mainmast,  at  need.  But  this  idea,  on  reflection,  he 
abandoned,  as  too  hazardous ;  and  he  continued  on,  in  the 
direction  of  the  mouth  of  the  Golo. 

Throughout  the  day  the  Proserpine  had  shown  no  colours, 
except  for  the  short  period  when  her  boats  were  engaged, 
and  v/hile  she  herself  was  firing  at  the  lugger.  The  same 
was  the  fact  with  le  Feu-Follet,  though  Raoul  had  run  up 
the  tri-colour,  as  he  opened  on  the  felucca,  and  he  kept  it 
flying  as  long  as  there  was  any  appearance  of  hostilities. 
As  the  two  vessels  drew  in  near  to  the  land,  several  coasters 
were  seen  beating  up  against  the  westerly  wind,  or  running 
down  before  it,  all  of  which,  however,  seemed  so  much  to  dis 
trust  the  appearance  of  the  lugger,  as  to  avoid  her  as  far  as 
was  possible.  This  was  a  matter  of  indifference  to  our 
hero,  who  knew  that  they  were  all  probably  countrymen ; 
or,  at  least,  smugglers,  who  would  scarcely  reward  him  for 
the  trouble,  had  he  the  time  to  bring  them  to,  and  capture 
them.  Corsica  was  then,  again,  in  the  hands  of  the  French, 
the  temporary  and  imperfect  possession  of  the  English  hav 
ing  terminated  three  or  four  years  earlier ;  and  Raoul  felt 
certain  of  a  welcome  anywhere  in  the  island,  and  of  pro 
tection  wherever  it  could  be  offered.  Such  was  the  state  of 
14 


158  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

things,  when,  just  as  the  lugger  was  preparing  to  ente* 
among  the  shoals,  the  Proserpine  unexpectedly  tacked,  and 
seemed  to  bestow  all  her  attention  on  the  coasters  of  which 
three  or  four  were  so  near  that  two  fell  into  her  hands  almost 
without  an  effort  to  escape. 

It  appeared  to  Raoul,  and  those  with  him  in  his  little  craft, 
that  the  English  seized  these  insignificant  vessels  solely  with 
a  wish  for  vengeance,  since  it  was  not  usual  for  ships  of  the 
force  of  the  Proserpine  to  turn  aside  to  molest  the  poor  fish 
ermen  and  coasters.  A  few  execrations  followed,  quite  as 
a  matter  of  course,  but  the  intricacy  of  the  channel  and  the 
necessity  of  having  all  his  eyes  about  him,  soon  drove  every 
other  thought  from  the  mind  of  the  dashing  privateersman, 
but  such  as  were  connected  with  the  care  and  safety  of  -his 
own  vessel. 

Just  as  the  sun  set  le  Feu-Follet  anchored.  She  had 
chosen  a  berth  sufficiently  within  the  shallow  water  to  be 
safe  from  the  guns  of  the  frigate,  though  scarcely  within  the 
river.  The  latter  the  depth  of  the  stream  hardly  permitted, 
though  there  was  all  the  shelter  that  the  season  and  weather 
required.  The  Proserpine  manifested  no  intention  to  give 
up  her  pursuit;  for  she,  too,  came  off  the  outlet,  and  brought 
up  with  one  of  her  bowers,  about  two  miles  to-seaward  of  the 
lugger.  She  seemed  to  have  changed  her  mind  as  to  the 
coasters,  having  let  both  proceed,  after  a  short  detention ; 
though,  it  falling  calm,  neither  was  enabled  to  get  any  ma 
terial  distance  from  her,  until  the  land  breeze  should  rise. 
In  these  positions,  the  belligerents  prepared  to  pass  the  night, 
each  party  taking  the  customary  precautions  as  to  his  ground 
tackle,  and  each  clearing  up  the  decks  and  going  through 
the  common  routine  of  duty,  as  regularly  as  if  he  lay  in  a 
friendly  port. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  159 


CHAPTER  XI. 

"The  human  mind,  that  lofty  thing, 

The  palace  and  the  throne, 
Where  reason  sits,  a  scepter'd  king, 

And  breathes  his  judgment  tone ; 
Oh  !  who  with  silent  step  shall  trace 
The  borders  of  that  haunted  place, 

Nor  in  his  weakness  own, 
That  mystery  and  marvel  bind 
That  lotty  thing — the  human  mind. 

ANONYMOUS. 

IT  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  on  the  glories  of  the  Mediter 
ranean.  They  are  familiar  to  every  traveller,  and  books 
have,  again  and  again,  laid  them  before  the  imaginations  of 
readers  of  all  countries  and  ages.  Still,  there  are  lights  and 
shades  peculiar  to  every  picture,  and  this  of  ours  has  some 
of  its  own  that  merit  a  passing  notice.  A  sunset,  in  mid 
summer,  can  add  to  the  graces  of  almost  any  scene.  Such 
was  the  hour  when  Raoul  anchored ;  and  Ghita,  who  had 
come  on  deck,  now  that  the  chase  was  over,  and  the  danger 
was  thought  to  be  past,  fancied  she  had  never  seen  her  own 
Italy,  or  the  blue  Mediterranean,  more  lovely. 

The  shadows  of  the  mountains  were  cast  far  upon  tho 
sea,  long  ere  the  sun  had  actually  gone  down,  throwing  tha 
witchery  of  eventide  over  the  whole  of  the  eastern  coast, 
some  time  before  it  came  to  grace  its  western.  Corsica 
and  Sardinia  resemble  vast  fragments  of  the  Alps,  which 
have  fallen  into  the  sea  by  some  accident  of  nature,  where 
they  stand  in  sight  of  their  native  beds,  resembling,  as  it 
might  be,  out-posts  to  those  great  walls  of  Europe.  Their 
mountains  have  the  same  formations,  the  same  white  peaks, 
for  no  small  portion  of  the  year  at  least,  and  their  sides  the 
same  mysterious  and  riven  aspect.  In  addition,  however,  to 
their  other  charms,  they  have  one  that  is  wanting  in  most 
of  Switzerland,  though  traces  of  it  are  to  be  found  in  Savoy 
and  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Alps;  they  have  that  strange 
admixture  of  the  soft  and  the  severe,  of  the  sublime  and 
beautiful,  that  so  peculiarly  characterize  the  witchery  of 


160  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

Italian  nature.  Such  was  now  the  aspect  of  all  visible  from 
the  deck  of  le  Feu-Follet.  The  sea,  with  its  dark-blue  tint, 
was  losing  every  trace  of  the  western  wind,  and  was  be 
coming  glassy  and  tranquil ;  the  mountains  on  the  other  side 
were  solemn  and  grand,  just  showing  their  ragged  outlines 
along  a  sky  glowing  with  "  the  pomp  that  shuts  the  day ;" 
while  the  nearer  valleys  and  narrow  plains  were  mysterious, 
yet  soft,  under  the  deep  shadows  they  cast.  Pianosa  lay 
nearly  opposite,  distant  some  twenty  miles,  rising  out  of  the 
water  like  a  beacon  ;  Elba  was  visible  to  the  north-east,  a 
gloomy  confused  pile  of  mountain  at  that  hour;  and  Ghita, 
once  or  twice  thought  she  could  trace  on  the  coast  of  the  main, 
the  dim  outline  of  her  own  hill,  Monte  Argentaro ;  though 
the  distance,  some  sixty  or  seventy  miles,  rendered  this 
improbable.  Outside,  too,  lay  the  frigate,  riding  on  the  glassy 
surface  of  the  sea,  her  sails  furled,  her  yards  squared,  every 
thing  about  her  cared  for  and  in  its  place,  until  she  formed 
a  faultless  picture  of  nautical  symmetry  and  naval  propriety, 
There  are  all  sorts  of  men  in  a  marine,  as  well  as  in  civil 
life ;  these  taking  things  as  they  come,  content  to  perform 
their  duties  in  the  most  quiet  manner,  while  others  again 
have  some  such  liking  for  their  vessels  as  the  dandy  has  for 
his  own  person,  and  are  never  happy  unless  embellishing 
them.  The  truth,  in  this,  as  in  most  other  matters,  lies  in  a 
medium;  the  officer  who  thinks  too  much  of  the  appearance 
of  his  vessel,  seldom  having  mind  enough  to  bestow  due  at 
tention  on  the  great  objects  for  which  she  was  constructed, 
and  is  sailed;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  he  who  is  altogether 
indifferent  to  these  appearances  is  usually  thinking  of  things 
foreign  to  his  duty  and  his  profession  ;  if,  indeed,  he  thinks 
at  all.  Cuffe  was  near  the  just  medium,  inclining  a  little  too 
much,  perhaps,  to  the  naval  dandy.  The  Proserpine,  thanks 
to  the  builders  of  Toulon,  was  thought  to  be  the  handsomest 
model  then  afloat  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  like  an  estab 
lished  beauty,  all  who  belonged  to  her  were  fond  of  deco 
rating  her,  and  of  showing  her  fine  proportions  to  advantage. 
As  she  now  lay,  at  single  anchor,  just  out  of  gun-shot  from 
his  own  berth,  Raoul  could  not  avoid  gazing  at  her  with 
envy,  and  a  bitter  feeling  passed  through  his  rnind,  when 
he  recalled  the  chances  of  fortune  and  of  birth,  which  de 
prived  him  of  the  hope  of  ever,  rising  10  the  command  of 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  101 

such  a  frigate,  but  which  doomed  him,  seemingly,  to  the  fate 
of  a  privateersman  for  life. 

Nature  had  intended  Raoul  Yvard  for  a  much  higher 
destiny  than  that  which  apparently  awaited  his  career.  He 
had  come  into  active  life  with  none  of  the  advantages  that 
accompany  the  accidents  of  birth,  and,  at  a  moment,  in  the 
history  of  his  great  nation  when  its  morals,  and  its  religious 
sentiments,  had  become  unsettled  by  the  violent  reaction 
which  was  throwing  off  the  abuses  of  centuries.  They  who 
imagine,  however,  that  France,  as  a  whole,  was  guilty  of 
the  gross  excesses  that  disfigured  her  struggles  for  liberty, 
know  little  of  the  great  mass  of  moral  feeling  that  endured 
through  all  the  abominations  of  the  times  ,*  and  mistake  the 
crimes  of  a  few  desperate  leaders,  and  the  exaggerations  of 
misguided  impulses,  for  a  radical  and  universal  depravity. 
The  France  of  the  Reign  of  Terror,  even,  has  little  more  to 
answer  for  than  the  compliance  which  makes  bodies  of  men 
the  instruments  of  the  enthusiastic,  the  designing,  and  the 
active — our  own  country  often  tolerating  error,  that  differs 
only  in  the  degree,  under  the  same  blind  submission  to  com 
binations  and  impulses ;  this  very  degree,  too,  depending 
more  on  the  accidents  of  history  and  natural  causes,  than 
any  agencies  which  are  to  be  imputed  to  the  one  party,  as  a 
Quilt,  or,  to  the  other,  as  a  merit.  It  was  with  Raoul,  as  it 
nad  been  with  his  country — each  was  the  creature  of  circum 
stances  ;  and  if  the  man  had  some  of  the  faults,  he  had  also 
most  of  the  merits  of  his  nation  and  his  age.  The  looseness 
on  the  subject  of  religion,  which  was  his  principal  defect  in 
the  eyes  of  Ghita,  but  which  could  scarcely  fail  to  be  a 
material  one,  with  a  girl  educated  and  disposed  as; was  the 
case  with  our  heroine,  was  the  error  of  the  day,  and  with 
Raoul  it  was,  at  least,  sincere ;  a  circumstance  that  rendered 
him,  with  one  so  truly  pious  as  the  gentle  being  he  loved, 
the  subject  of  a  holy  interest,  which,  in  itself,  almost  rivalled 
the  natural  tenderness  of  her  sex,  in  behalf  of  the  object  of 
her  affections. 

While  the  short  engagement  with  the  boats  lasted,  and 
during  the  few  minutes  he  was  under  the  fire  of  the  frigate, 
Raoul  had  been  himself;  the  excitement  of  actual  war  always 
nerving  him  to  deeds  worthy  of  his  command,  and  the  high 
name  he  had  acquired ;  but,  throughout  the  remainder  of  the 
14* 


162  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

day,  he  had  felt  little  disposed  to  strife.  The  chase,  once 
assured  that  his  spars  were  likely  to  stand,  gave  him  little 
concern ;  and  now  that  he  was  at  anchor  within  the  shallow 
water,  he  felt  much  as  the  traveller  who  has  found  a  com 
fortable  inn,  after  the  fatigue  of  a  hard  day's  ride.  When 
Ithuel  suggested  the  possibility  of  a  night-attack,  in  boats, 
he  laughingly  reminded  the  American  that  "  the  burnt  child 
dreads  the  fire,"  and  gave  himself  no  great  concern  in  the 
matter.  Still,  no  proper  precaution  was  neglected.  Raoul 
was  in  the  habit  of  exacting  much  of  his  men,  in  moments 
of  necessity ;  but,  at  all  other  times,  he  was  as  indulgent  as 
a  kind  father,  among  obedient  and  respectful  children.  This 
quality,  and  the  never-varying  constancy  and  coolness  that 
he  displayed  in  danger,  was  the  secret  of  his  great  influence 
with  them ;  every  seaman  under  his  orders  feeling  certain, 
that  no  severe  duty  was  required  at  his  hands,  without  a 
corresponding  necessity  for  it. 

On  the  present  occasion,  when  the  people  of  le  Feu-Follet 
had  supped,  they  were  indulged  in  their  customary  dance ; 
and  the  romantic  songs  of  Provence  were  heard  on  the  fore 
castle.  A  light-hearted  gaiety  prevailed,  that  wanted  only 
the  presence  of  woman,  to  make  the  scene  resemble  the 
evening  amusement  of  some  hamlet  on  the  coast.  Nor  was 
the  sex  absent  in  the  sentiment  of  the  hour,  or  wholly  so  in 
person.  The  songs  were  full  of  chivalrous  gallantry,  and 
Ghita  listened,  equally  touched  and  amused.  She  sat  on 
the  taffrail,  with  her  uncle  standing  at  her  side,  while  Raoul 
paced  the  quarter-deck,  stopping,  in  his  turn,  to  utter  some 
thought,  or  wish,  to  ears  that  were  always  attentive.  At 
length  the  song  and  the  dance  ended,  and  all  but  the  few 
who  were  ordered  to  remain  on  watch,  descended  to  their 
hammocks.  The  change  was  as  sudden,  as  it  was  striking. 
The  solemn,  breathing  stillness  of  a  star-lit  night  succeeded 
to  the  light  laugh,  melodious  song,  and  spirited  merriment 
of  a  set  of  men,  whose  constitutional  gaiety  seemed  to  be 
restrained  by  a  species  of  native  refinement,  that  is  unknown 
to  the  mariners  of  other  regions,  and  who,  unnurtured  as 
they  might  be  deemed,  in  some  respects,  seldom  or  never 
offended  against  the  proprieties ;  as  is  so  common  with  the 
mariners  of  the  boasted  Anglo-Saxon  race.  By  this  time 
ihe  cool  air  from  the  mountains  began  to  descend,  and  float- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  163 

ing  over  the  heated  sea,  it  formed  a  light  land-breeze,  that 
blew  in  an  exactly  contrary  direction  to  that,  which,  about 
the  same  hour,  came  off  from  the  adjacent  continent.  There 
was  no  moon ;  but  the  night  could  riot  be  called  dark. 
Myriads  of  stars  gleamed  out  from  the  fathomless  firmament, 
filling  the  atmosphere  with  a  light  that  served  to  render 
objects  sufficiently  distinct ;  while  it  left  them  clad  in  a  semi- 
obscurity  that  suited  the  witchery  of  the  scene  and  the  hour. 
Raoul  felt  the  influence  of  all  these  circumstances  in  an 
unusual  degree.  It  disposed  him  to  more  sobriety  of  thought 
than  always  attended  his  leisure  moments,  and  he  took  a 
seat  on  the  taffrail,  near  Ghita,  while  her  uncle  went  below, 
to  his  knees  and  his  prayers. 

Every  foot-fall  in  the  lugger  had  now  ceased.  Ithuel 
was  posted  on  a  knight-head,  where  he  sat  watching  his  old 
enemy,  the  Proserpine  ;  the  proximity  of  that  ship  not  allow 
ing  him  to  sleep.  Two  experienced  seamen,  who  alone 
formed  the  regular  anchor-watch,  as  it  is  termed,  wero 
stationed  apart,  in  order  to  prevent  conversation  ;  one  on  the 
starboard  cat-head,  and  the  other  in  the  main  rigging ;  both 
keeping  vigilant  ward  over  the  tranquil  sea,  and  the  different 
objects  that  floated  on  its  placid  bosom.  In  that  retired  spot, 
these  objects  were  necessarily  few,  embracing  the  frigate, 
the  lugger,  and  three  coasters ;  the  latter  of  which  had  all 
been  boarded  before  the  night  set  in,  by  the  Proserpine,  and, 
after  short  detentions,  dismissed.  One  of  these  coasters  lay 
about  half-way  between  the  two  hostile  vessels,  at  anchor, 
having  come-to,  after  making  some  fruitless  efforts  to  get 
to  the  northward,  by  means  of  the  expiring  west-wind. 
Although  the  light  land-breeze  would  now  have  sufficed  to 
carry  her  a  knot  or  two  through  the  water,  she  preferred 
maintaining  her  position,  and  giving  her  people  a  good 
night's  rest,  to  getting  under-way.  The  situation  of  this 
felucca,  and  the  circumstance  that  she  had  been  boarded  by 
the  frigate,  rendered  her  an  object  of  some  distrust  with 
Raoul,  through  the  early  part  of  the  evening,  and  he  had 
ordered  a  vigilant  eye  to  be  kept  on  her ;  but  nothing  had 
been  discovered  to  confirm  these  suspicions.  The  move 
ments  of  her  people — the  manner  in  which  she  brought-up — • 
the  quiet  that  prevailed  on  board  her,  and  even  the  lubberly 
disposition  of  her  spars  and  rigging,  went  to  satisfy  Raoul 


164  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

that  she  had  no  man-of-war's  men  on  board  her.  Still,  as 
she  lay  less  than  a  mile  outside  of  the  lugger,  though  now 
dead  to  leeward  all  that  distance,  she  was  to  be  watched , 
and  one  of  the  seamen,  he  in  the  rigging,  rarely  had  his  eyes 
off  her,  a  minute  at  a  time.  The  second  coaster  was  a  little 
to  the  southward  of  the  frigate,  under  her  canvass,  hauling 
in  for  the  land ;  doubtless  with  a  view  to  get  as  much  as 
possible  of  the  .breeze  from  the  mountains  ;  and  standing 
slowly  to  the  south.  She  had  been  set  by  compass,  an  hour 
before,  and  all  that  time  had  altered  her  bearings  but  half  a 
point,  though  not  a  league  off — a  proof  how  light  she  had 
the  wind.  The  third  coaster,  a  small  felucca,  too,  was  to 
the  northward  ;  but,  ever  since  the  land-breeze,  if  breeze  it 
could  be  called,  had  come,  she  had  been  busy  turning  slowly 
up  to  windward ;  and  seemed  disposed  either  to  cross  the 
shoals,  closer  in  than  the  spot  where  the  lugger  lay,  or  to 
enter  the  Golo.  Her  shadowy  outline,  was  visible,  though 
drawn  against  the  land,  moving  slowly  athwart  the  lugger's 
hawse,  perhaps  half-a-mile  in-shore  of  her.  As  there  was  a 
current  setting  out  of  the  river,  and  all  the  vessels  rode  with 
their  heads  to  the  island,  Ithuel  occasionally  turned  his  head 
to  watch  her  progress ;  which  was  so  slow,  however,  as  to 
produce  very  little  change. 

After  looking  around  him  several  minutes,  in  silence, 
Raoul  turned  his  face  upward,  and  gazed  at  the  stars. 

"  You  probably  do  not  know,  Ghita,"  he  said,  "  the  use 
those  stars  may  be,  and  are,  to  us  mariners.  By  their  aid, 
we  are  enabled  to  tell  where  we  are,  in  the  midst  of  the 
broadest  oceans — to  know  the  points  of  the  compass  ;  and  so 
feel  at  home  even  when  furthest  removed  from  it.  The  sea 
man  must  go  far  south  of  the  equator,  at  least,  ere  he  can 
reach  a  spot  where  he  does  not  see  the  same  stars  that  he 
beheld  from  the  door  of  his  father's  house." 

"  That  is  a  new  thought,  to  me,"  answered  Ghita,  quickly, 
her  tender  nature,  at  once,  struck  with  the  feeling  and  poe 
try  of  such  an  idea ;  "  that  is  a  new  thought,  to  me,  Raoul ; 
and  I  wonder  you  never  mentioned  it  before.  It  is  a  great 
thing  to  be  able  to  carry  home  and  familiar  objects  with  you, 
when  so  distant  from  those  you  love." 

"  Did  you  nsver  hear  that  lovers  have  chosen  an  hour 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  165 

and  a  star,  by  gazing  at  which  they  might  commune  toge 
ther,  though  separated  by  oceans  and  countries?" 

"That  ii  a  question  you  might  put  to  yourself,  Raoul  ; 
nil  I  have  ever  heard  of  lovers,  and  love,  having  come  from 
your  own  lips." 

"Well,  then,  I  tell  it  you;  and  hope  that  we  shah\  not 
part,  again,  without  selecting  our  star,  and  our  hour— if, 
indeed,  we  ever  part  more.  Though  I  have  forgotten  to  tell 
you  this,  Ghita,  it  is  because  you  are  never  absent  from  my 
thoughts — no  star  is  necessary  to  recall  Monte  Argentaro 
and  the  Towers." 

If  we  should  say  Ghita  was  not  pleased  with  this,  it  would 
be  to  raise  her  above  an  amiable  and  a  natural  weakness. 
Raoul's  protestations  never  fell  dead  on  her  heart ;  and  few 
things  were  sweeter,  to  her  ear,  than  his  words,  as  they 
declared  his  devotedness  and  passion.  The  frankness  with 
which  he  admitted  his  delinquencies,  and  most  especially  the 
want  of  that  very  religious  sentiment  which  was  of  so  much 
value  in  the  eyes  of  his  mistress,  gave  an  additional  weight 
to  his  language,  when  he  affirmed  his  love.  Notwithstand 
ing  Ghita  blushed,  as  she  now  listened,  she  did  not  smile; 
she  rather  appeared  sad.  For  near  a  minute  she  made  no 
reply ;  and  when  she  did  answer,  it  was  in  a  low  voice,  like 
one  who  felt  and  thought  intensely. 

"  Those  stars  may  well  have  a  higher  office,"  she  said. 
"Look  at  them,  Raoul;  —  count  them  we  cannot,  for  they 
seem  to  start  out  of  the  depths  of  heaven,  one  after  another, 
as  the  eye  resfs  upon  the  space,  until  they  mock  our  efforts 
at  calculation.  We  see  they  are  there  in  thousands,  and 
may  well  believe  they  are  in  myriads.  Now,  thou  hast  been 
taught,  else  couldst  thou  never  be  a  navigator,  that  those 
stars  are  worlds,  like  our  own,  or  suns,  with  worlds  sailing 
around  them  ;  how  is  it  possible  to  see  and  know  this,  without 
believing  in  a  God,  and  feeling  the  insignificance  of  our 
being?" 

"I  do  not  deny  that  there  is  a  power  to  govern  all  this, 
Ghita — but  I  maintain  that  it  is  a  principle  ;  nofa  being,  in 
our  shape  and  form  ;  and  that  it  is  the  reason  of  things, 
rather  than  a  deity." 

"  Who  has  said  that  God  is  a  being,  in  our  shape  and 


166  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

form,  Raoul  ?  None  know  that — none  can  know  it ;  none 
say  it,  who  reverence  and  worship  him  as  they  ought !" 

"  Do  not  your  priests  say  that  man  has  been  created  in 
his  image'?  and  is  not  this  creating  him  in  his  form  and 
likeness?" 

"  Nay,  not  so,  dear  Raoul,  but  in  the  image  of  his  spirit 
— that  man  hath  a  soul  which  partakes,  though  in  a  small 
degree,  of  the  imperishable  essence  of  God  ;  and  thus  far 
doth  he  exist  in  his  image.  More  than  this,  none  have  pre 
sumed  to  say.  But  what  a  being,  to  be  the  master  of  all 
those  bright  worlds !" 

"  Ghita,  thou  know'st  my  way  of  thinking,  on  these  mat 
ters  ;  and  thou  also  know'st  that  I  would  not  wound  thy 
gentle  spirit  by  a  single  word  that  could  grieve  thee." 

"  Nay,  Raoul,  it  is  not  thy  way  of  thinking,  but  thy 
fashion  of  talking,  that  makes  the  difference  between  us. 
No  one,  who  thinks,  can  ever  doubt  the  existence  of  a  being 
superior  to  all  of  earth,  and  of  the  universe ;  arid  who  is 
Creator  and  Master  of  all." 

"  Of  a  principle,  if  thou  wilt,  Ghita  ;  but  of  a  being,  I  ask 
for  the  proof.  That  a  mighty  principle  exists,  to  set  all 
these  planets  in  motion  —  to  create  all  these  stars,  and  to 
plant  all  these  suns,  in  space,  I  never  doubted  ;  it  would  be 
to  question  a  fact  which  stands,  day  and  night,  before  my 
eyes ;  but  to  suppose  a  being  capable  of  producing  all  these 
thing's,  is  to  believe  in  beings  I  never  saw." 

"  And  why  not  as  well  suppose  that  it  is  a  being  that  does 
all  this,  Raoul,  as  to.  suppose  it  what  you  call  .,a  principle  V 

"  Because  I  see  principles,  beyond  my  understanding,  at 
work  all  around  me:  in  yonder  heavy  frigate,  groaning 
under  her  load  of  artillery,  which  floats  on  this  thin  water; 
in  the  trees,  of  the  land  that  lies  so  near  us ;  in  the  animals, 
which  are  born,  and  die ;  the  fishes,  the  birds,  and  the 
human  beings.  But  I  see  no  being — know  no  being,  that  is 
able  to  do  all  this." 

"  That  is  because  thou  know'st  not  God  !  He  is  the 
creator  of  the  principles  of  which  thou  speak'st,  and  is 
greater  than  thy  principles,  themselves." 

"  It  is  easy  to  say  this,  Ghita — but  hard  to  prove.  I  take 
the  acorn,  and  put  it  in  the  ground ;  in  due  time  it  comes  up 
a  plant ;  in  the  course  of  years,  it  becomes  a  tree.  Now, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  167 

all  this  depends  on  a  certain  mysterious  principle,  which  ig 
unknown  to  me,  but  which  I  am  sure  exists,  for  I  can  cause 
it,  myself,  to  produce  its  fruits,  by  merely  opening  the  earth 
and  laying  the  seed  in  its  bosom.  Nay,  I  can  do  more— 
so  well  do  I  understand  this  principle,  to  a  certain  extent,  at 
least,  that,  by  choosing  the  season  and  the  soil,  I  can  hasten 
or  retard  the  growth  of  the  plant,  and,  in  a  manner,  fashion 
the  tree." 

"  True,  Raoul,  to  a  certain  extent  thou  canst ;  and  it  is 
precisely  because  thou  hast  been  created  after  the  image  of 
God.  The  little  resemblance  thou  enjoyest  to  that  Mighty 
being,  enables  thee  to  do  this  much  more  than  the  beasts  of 
the  field :  wert'thou  his  equal,  thou  couldst  create  that  prin 
ciple  of  which  thou  speakest,  and  which,  in  thy  blindness, 
thou  mistakest  for  its  master." 

This  was  said  with  more  feeling  than  Ghita  had  ever 
before  manifested,  in  their  frequent  discourses  on  this  sub 
ject,  and  with  a  solemnity  of  tone  that  startled  her  listener. 
Ghita  had  no  philosophy,  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the 
term,  while  Raoul  fancied  he  had  much,  under  the  limita 
tions  of  a  deficient  education;  and  yet  the  strong  religious 
sentiment  of  the  girl  so  quickened  her  faculties,  that  he  had 
often  been  made  to  wonder  why  she  had  seemingly  the  best 
of  the  argument,  on  a  subject  in  which  he  flattered  himself 
with  being  so  strong. 

"  I  rather  think,  Ghita,  we  scarcely  understand  each 
other,"  answered  Raoul.  •  "  I  pretend  not  to  see  any  more 
than  is  permitted  to  man  ;  or,  rather,  more  than  his  powers 
can  comprehend ;  but  this  proves  nothing,  as  the  elephant 
understands  more  than  the  horse,  and  the  horse  more  than 
the  fish.  There  is  a  principle  which  pervades  everything, 
which  we  call  Nature ;  and  this  it  is  which  has  produced 
these  whirling  worlds,  and  all  the  mysteries  of  creation. 
One  of  its  laws  is,  that  nothing  it  produces  shall  comprehend 
its  secrets." 

"  You  have  only  to  fancy  your  principle  a  spirit,  a  being 
with  mind,  Raoul,  to  have  the  Christian  God.  Why  not 
believe  in  him,  as  easily  as  you  believe  in  your  unknown 
principle,  as  you  call  it?  You  know  that  you  exist — that 
you  can  build  a  lugger — can  reason  on  the  sun  and  stars, 
so  as  to  find  your  way  across  the  widest  ocean,  by  means 


168  LTEL    FEU- FOL  LET. 

of  your  mind ;  and  why  not  suppose  that  some  superior  being 
exists,  who  can  do  even  more  than  this  ?  Your  principles 
can  be  thwarted,  even  by  yourself — the  seed  can  be  deprived 
of  its  power  to  grow — the  tree  destroyed  ;  and,  if  principles 
can  thus  be  destroyed,  some  accident  may  one  day  destroy 
creation,  by  destroying  its  principle.  I  fear  to  speak  to 
you  of  revelation,  Raoul,  for  I  know  you  mock  it !" 

"  Not  when  it  comes  from  thy  lips,  dearest.  I  may  not 
believe,  but  I  never  mock  at  what  thou  utterest  and  rove- 
rencest." 

"  I  could  thank  thee  for  this,  Raoul,  but  I  feel  it  would  bo 
taking  to  myself  a  homage  that  ought  to  be  paid  elsewhere. 
But,  here  is  my  guitar,  and  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  the  hymn 
to  the  Virgin  has  not  been  sung  on  board  this  lugger  to 
night  ;  thou  canst  not  think  how  sweet  is  a  hymn  sung  upcn 
the  waters.  I  heard  the  crew  that  is  anchored  towards  the 
frigate,  singing  that  hymn,  while  thy  men  were  at  their  light 
Provencal  songs,  in  praise  of  woman's  beauty ;  instead  of 
joining  in  praise  of  their  Creator." 

"  Thou  mean'st  to  sing  thy  hymn,  Ghita,  else  the  guitar 
would  not  have  been  mentioned?" 

"  Raoul,  I  do.  I  have  ever  found  thy  soul  the  softest,  after 
holy  music.  Who  knows,  but  the  mercy  of  God  may  one 
day  touch  it,  through  the  notes  of  this  very  hymn  !" 

Ghita  paused  a  moment,  and  then  her  light  fingers  passed 
over  the  strings  of  her  guitar,  in  a  solemn  symphony  ;  after 
which  came  the  sweet  strains  of  "  Ave  Maria,"  in  a  voice 
and  melody  that  might,  in  sooth,  have  touched  a  heart  of 
stone.  Ghita,  a  Neapolitan  by  birth,  had  all  her  country's 
love  for  music  ;  and  she  had  caught  some  of  the  science  that 
seems  to  pervade  nations,  in  that  part  of  the  world.  Nature 
had  endowed  her  with  one  of  the  most  touching  voices  of  her 
sex  ;  one  less  powerful,  than  mellow  and  sweet;  and  she  never 
used  it,  in  a  religious  office,  without  its  becoming  tremulous 
and  eloquent  with  feeling.  While  she  was  now  singing  this 
well-known  hyrnn,  a  holy  hope  pervaded  her  moral  system, 
that,  in  some  miraculous  manner,  she  might  become  the 
agent  of  turning  Raoul  to  the  love  and  worship  of  God  ;  and 
the  feeling  communicated  itself  to  her  execution.  Never 
before  had  she  sung  so  well;  as  a  proof  of  which,  IthucI  left 
his  knight-head,  and  came  aft,  to  listen,  while  the  two  French 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  169 

manners  on  watch,  temporarily  forgot   their  duty,  in  en 
tranced  attention. 

"  If  anything  could  make  me  a  believer,  Ghita,"  mur 
mured  Raoul,  when  the  last  strain  had  died  on  the  lips  of 
his  beloved,  "  it  would  be  to  listen  to  thy  melody !  What 
now,  Monsieur  Etooell !  are  you,  too,  a  lover  of  holy  music?" 

"  This  is  rare  singing,  Captain  Rule ;  but  we  have  different 
business  on  hand.  If  you  will  step  to  the  other  end  of  the 
lugger,  you  can  take  a  look  at  the  craft  that  has  been  crawl 
ing  along,  in-shore  of  us,  for  the  last  three  hours — there  is 
something  about  her  that  is  unnat'ra. ;  she  seems  to  be  drop 
ping  down  nearer  to  us,  while  she  has  no  motion  through 
the  water.  The  last  circumstance  I  hold  to  be  unnat'ral 
with  a  vessel  that  has  all  sail  set,  and  in  this  breeze." 

Raoul  pressed  the  hand  of  Ghita,  and  whispered  her  to  go 
below,  as  he  was  fearful  the  air  of  the  night  might  injure  her. 
He  then  went  forward,  where  he  could  command  as  good  a 
view  of  the  felucca,  in-shore,  as  the  obscurity  of  the  hour 
permitted ;  and  he  felt  a  little  uneasiness,  when  he  found 
how  near  she  had  got  to  the  lugger.  When  he  last  noted 
her  position,  this  vessel  was  quite  half-a-mile  distant,  and 
appeared  to  be  crossing  the  bows  of  le  Feu-Follet,  with 
sufficient  wind  to  have  carried  her  a  mile  ahead,  in  the  inter 
val  ;  yet  could  he  not  perceive  that  she  had  advanced  as  far, 
in  that  direction,  as  she  had  drifted  down  upon  the  lugger 
the  while, 

"  Have  you  been  examining  her  long  ?"  he  demanded  of 
the  New-Hampshire-man. 

"  Ever  since  she  has  seemed  to  stand  still ;  which  is  now 
some  twenty  minutes.  She  is  dull,  I  suppose,  for  she  has 
been  several  hours  getting  along  a  league ;  and  there  is  now 
air  enough  for  such  a  craft  to  go  three  knots  to  the  hour. 
Her  coming  down  upon  us  is  easily  accounted  for,  there 
being  a  considerable  current  out  of  this  river,  as  you  may 
see  by  the  ripple  at  our  own  cut-water ;  but  I  find  nothing  to 
keep  her  from  going  ahead,  at  the  same  time.  I  set  her  by 
the  light  you  see,  here,  in  the  wake  of  the  nearest  mountain, 
at  least  a  quarter  of  an  hour  since,  and  she  has  not  advanced 
five  times  her  own  length,  since." 

"  'T  is  nothing  but  a  Corsican  coaster,  after  all,  Etooell : 
I  hardly  think  the  English  would  risk  our  canister,  again 
15 


170  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

for  the  pleasure  of  being  beaten  off,  in  another  attempt  to 
board!" 

"  They  're  a  spiteful  set,  aboard  the  frigate ;  and  the  Lord 
only  knows !  See,  here  is  a  good  heavy  night-airy  and  that 
felucca  is  not  a  cable's-length  from  us ;  set  her  by  the  jib- 
stay,  and  judge  for  yourself,  how  slowly  she  goes  ahead ! 
That  it  is,  which  non-plushes  me  /" 

Raoul  did  as  the  other  desired,  and,  after  a  short  trial,  he 
found  that  the  coaster  had  no  perceptible  motion  ahead,  while, 
it  was  certain,  she  was  drifting  down  with  the  current, 
directly  athwart  the  lugger's  hawse.  This  fact  satisfied  him 
that  she  must  have  drags  astern ;  a  circumstance  that,  at 
once,  denoted  a  hostile  intention.  The  enemy  was  probably 
on  board  the  felucca,  in  force  ;  and  it  was  incumbent  on  him 
to  make  immediate  preparations  for  defence. 

Still,  Raoul  was  reluctant  to  disturb  his  people.  Like  all 
firm  and  cool  men,  he  was  averse  to  the  parade  of  a  false 
alarm ;  and  it  seemed  so  improbable  that  the  lesson  of  the 
morning  was  so  soon  forgotten,  that  he  could  hardly  per 
suade  himself  to  believe  his  senses.  Then  the  men  had  been 
very  hard  at  work,  throughout  the  day  ;  and  most  of  them 
were  sleeping  the  sleep  of  the  weary.  On  the  other  hand, 
every  minute  brought  the  coaster  nearer,  and  increased  the 
danger,  should  the  enemy  be  really  in  possession  of  her. 
Under  all  the  circumstances,  he  determined,  first,  to  hail  ; 
knowing  that  his  crew  could  be  got  up  in  a  minute,  and  that 
they  slept  with  arms  at  their  sides,  under  an  apprehension 
that  a  boat  attack  might  possibly  be  attempted,  in  the  course 
of  the  night. 

"  Felucca,  ahoy  !"  called  out  the  captain  of  leFeu-Follel, 
the  other  craft  being  too  near  to  render  any  great  effort  of 
the  voice  necessary ;  "  What  felucca  is  that?  and 'why  have 
you  so  great  a  drift  ?" 

"  La  Bella  Corsienne  !"  was  the  answer,  in  a  patois,  half 
French,  half  Italian,  as  Raoul  expected,  if  all  were  right. 
"  We  are  bound  into  la  Padulella ;  and  wish  to  keep  in  with 
the  land,  to  hold  the  breeze  the  longer.  We  are  no  great 
sailer,  at  the  best,  and  have  a  drift,  because  we  are,  just  now 
in  the  strength  of  the  current." 

"  At  this  rate,  you  will  come  athwart  my  hawse.— You 
know  I  am  armed,  and  cannot  suffer  that  I" 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  171 

"  Ah,  Signore,  we  are  friends  of  the  republic,  and  would 
not  harm  you,  if  we  could.  We  hope  you  will  not  injure 
poor  mariners,  like  us.  We  will  keep  away,  if  you  please, 
and  pass  you  under  your  stern — " 

This  proposition  was  made  so  suddenly,  and  so  unexpect 
edly,  that  Raoul  had  not  time  to  object ;  and,  had  he  been 
disposed  to  do  so,  the  execution  was  too  prompt  to  allow  him 
the  means.  The  felucca  fell  broad  otF,  and  came  down 
almost  in  a  direct  line  for  the  lugger's  bows,  before  the  wind 
and  current ;  moving  fast  enough,  now,  to  satisfy  all  IthuePs 
scruples. 

"Call  all  hands  to  repel  boarders!"  cried  Raoul,  spring- 
ing  aft  to  the  capstan,  and  seizing  his  own  arms  —  "  Come 
up  lively,  mes  enfans! — here  is  treachery  !" 
.  These  words  were  hardly  uttered  before  Raoul  was  back 
on  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit,  and  the  most  active  of  his  men — 
some  five  or  six,  at  most — began  to  show  themselves  on  deck. 
In  that  brief  space,  the  felucca  had  got  within  eighty  yards, 
when,  to  the  surprise  of  all  in  the  lugger,  she  luffed  into  the 
wind,  again,  and  drifted  down,  until  it  was  apparent  that  she 
was  foul  of  the  lugger's  cable,  her  stern  swinging  round 
directly  on  the  latter's  starboard  bow.  At  that  instant,  or 
just  as  the  two  vessels  came  in  actual  contact,  and  Raoul's 
men  were  thronging  around  him,  to  meet  the  expected  attack, 
the  sounds  of  oars,  pulled  for  life  or  death,  were  heard,  and 
flames  burst  upward  from  the  open  hatch  of  the  coaster. 
Then  a  boat  was  dimly  seen  gliding  away,  in  a  line  with  the 
hull,  by  the  glowing  light. 

"  Un  brulot ! — un  brulot ! — a  fireship  !"  exclaimed  twenty 
voices  together,  the  horror  that  mingled  in  the  cries  pro 
claiming  the  extent  of  a  danger  which  is,  perhaps,  the  most 
terrific  that  seamen  can  encounter. 

But  the  voice  of  Raoul  Yvard  was  not  among  them. 
The  moment  his  eye  caught  the  first  glimpse  of  the  flames, 
he  disappeared  from  the  bowsprit.  He  might  have  been 
absent  about  twenty  seconds.  Then  he  was  seen  on  the  tafT- 
rail  of  the  felucca,  with  a  spare  shank-painter,  which  had 
been  lying  on  the  forecastle,  on  his  shoulder. 

"  Antoine  ! — Francois  ! — Gregoire  !" — he  called  out,  in  a 
voice  of  thunder, — "follow  me! — the  rest,  clear  away  the 
cable,  and  bend  a  hawser  to  the  better  end  1" 


172  LE     FEU-FOLLET.         • 

The  people  of  le  Feu-Follet  were  trained  to  order  and 
implicit  obedience.  By  this  time,  too,  the  lieutenants  were 
among  them  ;  and  the  men  set  about  doing  as  they  had  been 
directed.  Raoul,  himself,  passed  into  the  felucca,  followed 
by  th'e  three  men  he  had  selected  by  name.  The  adventu 
rers  had  no  difficulty,  as  yet,  in  escaping  the  flames,  though 
f>y  this  time,  they  were  pouring  upward  from  the  hatch  in  a 
torrent.  As  Raoul  suspected,  his  cable  had  been  grappled  ; 
and,  seizing  the  rope,  he  tightened  it  to  a  severe  strain, 
securing  the  in-board  part.  Then  he  passed  down  to  the 
cable,  himself,  directing  his  companions  to  hand  him  the 
rope-end  of  the  shank-painter,  which  he  fastened  to  the  cable 
by  a  jamming  hitch.  This  took  half-a-minute ;  in  half- 
a-minute  more,  he  was  on  the  felucca's  forecastle,  again. 
Here  the  chain  was  easily  passed  through  a  hawse-hole;  and 
a  knot  tied,  with  a  marlinespike  passed  through  its  centre. 
To  pass  the  fire,  on  the  return,  was  now  a  serious  matter  ; 
but  it  was  done  without  injury,  Raoul  driving  his  companions 
before  him.  No  sooner  did  his  foot  reach  the  bows  of  le 
Feu-Follct,  again,  than  he  shouted — 

"Veer  away! — payout  cable,  men,  if 'you  would  save 
our  beautiful  lugger  from  destruction!" 

Nor  was  there  a  moment  to  spare.  The  lugger  took  the 
cable  that  was  given  her,  fast  enough,  under  the  pressure  of 
the  current,  and  helped  by  the  breeze ;  but  at  first  the  fire- 
vessel,  already  a  sheet  of  flarne,  her  decks  having  been  satu 
rated  with  tar,  seemed  disposed  to  accompany  her.  To  the 
delight  of  all  in  the  lugger,  however,  the  stern  of  the  felucca 
was  presently  seen  to  separate  from  their  own  bows;  and  a 
sheer  having  been  given  to  le  Feu-Follet,  by  means  of  the 
helm,  in  a  few  seconds  even  her  bowsprit  and  jib  had  cleared 
he  danger.  The  felucca  rode  stationary,  while  the  lugger 
dropped  astern,  fathom  after  fathom,  until  she  lay  more  than 
a  hundred  yards  distant  from  the  fiery  mass.  As  a  matter 
of  course,  while  the  cable  was  paid  out,  the  portion  to  which 
the  lanyard,  or  rope  part  of  the  shank-painter  was  fastened, 
dropped  into  the  water,  while  the  felucca  rode  by  the  chain. 

These  events  occupied  less  than  five  minutes  ;  and  all  had 
been  done  with  a  steadiness  and  promptitude  that  seemed 
more  like  instinct,  than  reason.  Raoul's  voice  was  no^ 
heard,  except  in  the  few  orders  mentioned  ;  and  when,  by  th« 


LB     FEU-FOLLET.  173 

glaring  light,  which  illuminated  all  in  the  'lugger  and  the 
adjacent  water  to  some  distance,  nearly  to  the  brightness  of 
noon-day,  he  saw  Ghita  gazing  at  the  spectacle  in  awed 
admiration  and  terror,  he  went  to  her,  and  spoke  as  if  the 
whole  were  merely  a  brilliant  spectacle,  devised  for  their 
amusement. 

"  Our  girandola  is  second  only  to  that  of  St.  Peter's,"  he 
said,  smiling.  "  'T  was  a  narrow  escape,  love ;  but,  thanks 
to  thy  God,  if  thou  wilt  it  shall  be  so,  we  have  received  no 
harm." 

"  And  you  have  been  the  agent  of  his  goodness,  Raoul ; 
I  have  witnessed  all,  from  this  spot.  The  call  to  the  men 
brought  me  on  deck ;  and,  Oh !  how  I  trembled,  as  I  saw 
you  on  the  flaming  mass !" 

"  It  has  been  cunningly  planned,  on  the  part  of  Messieurs 
tes  Anglais;  but  it  has  signally  failed.  That  coaster  has  a 
cargo  of  tar,  and  naval  stores,  on  board  ;  and,  capturing  her, 
this  evening,  they  have  thought  to  extinguish  our  lantern  by 
the  brighter  and  fiercer  flame  of  their  own.  But,  le  Feu- 
Follet  will  shine  again,  when  their  fire  is  dead  !" 

"  Is  there,  then,  no  danger  that  the  brulot  will  yet  come 
down  upon  us — she  is  fearfully  near!" 

"  Not  sufficiently  so  to  do  us  harm  ;  more  especially  as 
our  sails  are  damp  with  dew.  Here  she  cannot  come,  so 
long  as  our  cable  stands  ;  and,  as  that  is  under  water,  where 
she  lies,  it  cannot  burn.  In  half-an-hour  there  will  be  little 
of  her  left ;  and  we  will  enjoy  the  bonfire,  while  it  lasts." 

And,  now  the  fear  of  danger  was  past,  it  was  a  sight  truly 
to  be  enjoyed.  Every  anxious  and  curious  face  in  the  lug 
ger  was  to  be  seen,  under  that  brilliant  light,  turned  toward 
the  glowing  mass,  as  the  sun-flower  folio  svs  the  great  source 
of  heat,  in  his  track  athwart  the  heavens;  while  the  spars, 
sails,  guns,  and  even  the  smallest  object  on  board  the  lug 
ger,  started  out  of  the  obscurity  of  night,  into  the  brightness 
of  such  an  illumination,  as  if  composing  parts  of  some  bril 
liant  scenic  display.  But  so  fierce  a  flame  soon  exhausted 
itself.  Ere  long,  the  felucca's  masts  fell,  and  with  them  a 
pyramid  of  fire.  Then  the  glowing  deck  tumbled  in;  and, 
finally,  timber  after  timber,  and  plank  after  plank  fell,  until 
the  conflagration,  in  a  great  measure,  extinguished  itself  in 
15* 


174  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

the  water  on  which  it  floated.  An  hour  after  the  flames 
appeared,  little  remained  but  the  embers  which  were  glow 
ing  in  the  hold  of  the  wreck. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

"  A  justice  of  the  peace,  for  the  time  being, 
They  bow  to,  but  may  turn  him  out,  next  year: 
They  reverence  their  priest,  but,  disagreeing1, 
In  price  or  creed,  dismiss  him  without  fear; 
They  have  a  natural  talent  for  foreseeing 
And  knowing  all  things;  —  and  should  Park  appear 
From  his  long  tour  in  Africa,  to   show 
The  Niger's  source,  they'd  meet  him  with  —  We  know." 

IJALLECK. 

RAOUL  was  not  mistaken  as  to  the  manner  in  which  they 
were  obtained,  and  the  means  employed  by  his  enemies. 
The  frigate  had  found  one  of  the  feluccas  loaded  with  naval 
stores,  including  some  ten  or  fifteen  barrels  of  tar;  and  it 
instantly  struck  Griffin,  who  was  burning  to  revenge  the 
defeat  of  the  morning,  that  the  prize  might  be  converted  into 
a  fire-vessel.  As  the  second  lieutenant  volunteered  to  carry 
her  in,  always  a  desperate  service,  Cufie  gave  his  consent. 
Nothing  could  have  been  better  managed  than  the  whole 
duty  connected  wilh  this  exploit,  including  the  manner  in 
which  our  hero  saved  his  vessel  from  destruction.  The 
frigate  kept  between  her  prize  and  the  lugger,  to  conceal  the 
fact  that  a  boat  remained  on  board  the  former ;  and,  when 
all  was  ready,  the  felucca  was  apparently  permitted  to  pro 
ceed  on  her  voyage.  The  other  two  prizes  were  allowed  to 
go  free,  also,  as  cloaks  to  the  whole  affair.  Griffin,  as  has 
been  seen,  kept  standing  in  Tor  the  land  ;  his  object  being  to 
get  up  stream  from  the  lugger,  and  as  near  her  as  possible. 
When  he  found  himself  almost  as  far  ahead  as  was  desirable, 
drags  were  used,  to  keep  the  craft  stationary ;  and,  in  this 
manner,  she  drifted  down  on  her  intended  victim,  as  has 
been  already  described.  But  for  the  sagacity  and  uneasiness 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  175 

of  Ithuel,  the  plan  would  altogether  have  escaped  detection; 
and,  but  for  the  coolness,  courage,  and  resources  of  Raoul, 
it  would  infallibly  have  succeeded,  notwithstanding  the  sus 
picions  that  had  been  excited. 

CiuTe,  and  the  people  on  deck,  watched  the  whole  affair 
with  the  deepest  interest.  They  were  barely  able  to  see 
the  sails  of  the  felucca,  by  means  of  a  night-glass,  as  she 
was  dropping  down  on  the  lugger ;  and  Yelverton  had  just 
exclaimed  that  the  two  vessels  were  foul  of  each  other,  when 
the  flames  broke  out.  As  a  matter  of  course,  at  that  dis 
tance,  both  craft  seemed  on  fire ;  and  when  le  Feu-Follet 
had  dropped  a  hundred  yards  nearer  to  the  frigate,  leaving 
the  felucca  blazing,  the  two  were  so  exactly  in  a  line,  as  to 
bring  them  together,  as  seen  from  the  former's  decks.  The 
English  expected,  every  moment,  to  hear  the  explosion  of 
the  lugger's  magazine  ;  but,  as  it  did  not  happen,  they  came 
to  the  conclusion  it  had  been  drowned.  As  for  Griffin,  he 
pulled  in-shore,  both  to  avoid  the  fire  of  le  Feu-Follet,  in 
passing  her  broadside,  and  in  the  hope  of  intercepting  Raoul, 
while  endeavouring  to  escape  in  a  boat.  He  even  went  to 
a  landing  in  the  river,  quite  a  league  from  the  anchorage, 
and  waited  there  until  long  past  midnight,  when,  finding  the 
night  beginning  to  cloud  over,  and  the  obscurity  to  increase, 
he  returned  to  the  frigate,  giving  the  smouldering  wreck  a 
wide  berth,  for  fear  of  accidents. 

Such,  then,  was  the  state  of  things,  when  Captain  Cuffe 
appeared  on  deck,  just  as  the  day  began  to  dawn,  on  the 
following  morning.  He  had  given  orders  to  be  called  at 
that  hour,  and  was  now  all  impatience  to  get  a  view  of  the 
sea,  more  particularly  in-shore.  At  length  the  curtain  began 
slowly  to  rise,  and  his  view  extended  farther  and  farther 
towards  the  river,  until  all  was  visible,  even  to  the  very  land. 
Not  a  craft  of  any  sort  was  in  sight.  Even  the  wreck  had 
disappeared;  though  this  was  subsequently  discovered  in  the 
surf;  haying  drifted  out  with  the  current,  until  it  struck  an 
eddy,  which  carried  it  in  again,  when  it  was  finally  stranded. 
No  vestige  of  le  Feu-Follet,  however,  was  to  be  seen.  Not 
even  a  tent  on  the  shore,  a  wandering  boat,  a  drifting  spar, 
or  a  rag  of  a  sail !  All  had  disappeared,  no  doubt,  in  the 
conflagration.  As  Cuffe  went  below,  he  walked  with  a  more 
erect  mien  than  he  had  done  since  the  affair  of  the  pre- 


176  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

vious  morning ;  and  as  he  opened  his  writing-desk,  it  was 
with  the  manner  of  one  entirely  satisfied  with  himself,  and 
his  own  exertions.  Still,  a  generous  regret  mingled  with 
his  triumph.  It  was  a  great  thing  to  have  destroyed  the 
most  pernicious  privateer  that  sailed  out  of  France  ;  and  yet 
it  was  a  melancholy  fate  to  befall  seventy  or  eighty  human 
beings — to  perish  like  so  many  curling  caterpillars,  de 
stroyed  by  fire.  Nevertheless,  the  thing  was  done  ;  and  it 
must  be  reported  to  the  authorities  above  him.  The  follow 
ing  letter  was  consequently  written  to  the  commanding 
officer  in  that  sea,  viz  : 

His  Majesty's  Ship,  Proserpine,  off  the  mouth  of  the  Golo, 

Island  of  Corsica,  July  23,  1799. 

My  Lord — I  have  the  satisfaction  of  reporting,  for  the 
information  of  my  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty, 
the  destruction  of  the  Republican  privateer,  the  le  Few-Folly, 
commanded  by  the  notorious  Raoul  Yvard,  on  the  night  of 
the  22d  inst.  The  circumstances  attending  this  important 
success,  are  as  follows.  Understanding  that  the  celebrated 
picaroon  had  been  on  the  Neapolitan  and  Roman  coasts, 
doing  much  mischief,  I  took  His  Majesty's  ship  close  in, 
following  up  the  peninsula,  with  the  land  in  sight,  until  we 
got  through  the  Canal  of  Elba,  early  on  the  morning  of  the 
21st.  On  opening  Porto  Ferrajo  bay,  we  saw  a  lugger 
lying  at  anchor  off  the  town,  with  English  colours  flying. 
As  this  was  a  friendly  port,  we  could  not  suppose  the  craft 
to  be  the  le  Few-Folly ;  but,  determined  to  make  sure,  we 
beat  in,  signalling  the  stranger,  until  he  took  advantage  of 
our  stretching  well  over  to  the  eastward,  to  slip  round  the 
rocks,  and  get  off  to-windward.  We  followed,  for  a  short 
distance,  and  then  ran  over  under  the  lee  of  Capraya,  where 
we  remained  until  the  morning  of  the  22d,  when  we  again 
went  off  the  town.  We  found  the  lugger  in  the  offing ;  and 
being  now  well  satisfied  of  her  character,  and  it  falling  calm, 
I  sent  the  boats  after  her,  under  Messrs.  Winchester  and 
Griffin,  the  first  and  second  of  this  ship.  After  a  sharp 
skirmish,  in  which  we  sustained  some  loss,  though  that  of 
the  Republicans  was  evidently  much  greater,  Monsieur 
Yvard  succeeded  in  effecting  his  escape,  in  consequence  of  a 
breeze's  suddenly  springing  up.  Sail  was  now  made  on  the 
ship,  and  we  chased  the  lugger  into  the  mouth  of  the  Golo, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  177 

Having  fortunately  captured  a  felucca,  with  a  quantity  of 
tar,  and  other  combustible  materials  on  board,  as  we  drew 
in  with  the  land,  I  determined  to  make  a  fire-ship  of  her,  and 
to  destroy  the  enemy  by  that  mode;  he  having  anchored 
within  the  shoals,  beyond  the  reach  of  shot.  Mr.  Winches 
ter,  the  first,  having  been  wounded  in  the  boat-affair,  I 
entrusted  the  execution  of  this  duty  to  Mr.  Griffin,  who 
handsomely  volunteered,  and  by  whom  it  was  effectually 
discharged,  about  ten  last  evening,  in  the  coolest  and  most 
officer-like  manner.  I  enclose  this  gentleman's  report  of 
the  affair,  and  beg  leave  to  recommend  him  to  the  favour  of 
my  Lords  Commissioners.  With  Mr.  Winchester's  good 
conduct,  under  a  sharp  fire,  in  the  morning,  the  service  has 
also  every  reason  to  be  satisfied.  I  hope  this  valuable  officer 
will  soon  be  able  to  return  to  duty. 

Permit  me  to  congratulate  you,  my  lord,  on  the  complete 
destruction  of  this  most  pernicious  cruiser  of  the  enemy.  So 
effectual  has  it  been,  that  not  a  spar,  or  a  fragment  of  wreck, 
remains.  We  have  reason  to  think  every  soul  on  board 
perished  ;  and  though  this  fearful  loss  of  human  life  is  to  be 
deeply  deplored,  it  has  been  made  in  the  service  of  good 
government  and  religion.  The  lugger  was  filled  with  loose 
women  ;  our  people  hearing  them  singing  their  philosophical 
and  irreligious  songs,  as  they  approached  With  the  fire-vessel. 
I  shall  search  the  coast  for  any  rafts  that  may  be  drifting 
about,  and  then  proceed  to  Leghorn  for  fresh  provisions. 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  rny  lord, 

Your  lordship's  most  obedient  servant, 
RICHARD  CUFFE 

To  Rear  Admiral  the  Right  Hon.  Lord  Nelson, 
Duke  of  Bronte,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

Cuffe  read  this  report  over  twice ;  then  he  sent  for  Griffin, 
to  whom  he  read  it  aloud,  glancing  his  eye  meaningly  at  his 
subordinate,  when  he  came  to  the  part 'where  he  spoke  of 
the  young  man'?  good  conduct. 

"So  much  for  that  d d  Jack-o'-Lantern,  Griftn  t 

fancy  it  will  lead  no  one  else  on  a  wild-goose  chase." 

"  I  trust  not,  sir.  Will  you  allow  me  to  suggest  a  slight 
alteration  in  the  spelling  of  the  lugger's  name,  Captain  Cuffe  ; 
the  clerk  can  make  it,  when  he  writes  out  the  letter  fairly.*' 


17S  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"  Ay — I  dare  say,  it  is  different  from  what  we  would  have 
it ;  French  spelling  being  no  great  matter,  in  general.  Put 
it  as  you  please ;  though  Nelson  has  as  great  a  contempt 
for  their  boasted  philosophy  and  learning,  as  I  have  myself. 
I  fancy  you  will  find  all  the  English  spelt  right.  How  do 
you  write  their  conibunded  gibberish  ?" 

"  Feu-Foliet,  sir,  pronouncing  the  last  part  of  it  fol-lay  ; 
not  fol-ly.  1  was  thinking  of  asking  leave,  Captain  CufFe, 
to  take  one  of  the  cutters,  and  pull  up  to  the  lugger's  anchor 
age,  and  see  if  anything  can  be  found  of  her  wreck.  The 
ship  will  hardly  get  under-way  until  the  westerly  wind 
comes." 

"  No,  probably  not.  I  will  order  my  gig  manned,  and 
we  '11  go  together.  Poor  Winchester  must  keep  house 
awhile  ;  so  there  is  no  use  in  asking  him.  I  saw  no  neces 
sity  for  putting  Nelson  into  a  passion,  by  saying  anything 
about  the  exact  amount  of  our  loss,  in  that  boat  scrape, 
Griffin." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  sir,  that  it  is  best  as  it  is. — *  Some  loss1 
covers  every  thing — it  means,  '  more  or  less.'  " 

"  That  was  just  my  notion. — I  dare  say,  there  may  have 
been  twenty  women  in  the  lugger  ?" 

"  I  can't  answer  for  the  number,  sir ;  but  I  heard  female 
singing,  as  we  got  near,  in  the  fire-ship ;  and  think  it  likely 
there  may  have  been  that  number.  The  lugger  was  full- 
manned  ;  for  they  were  like  bees  swarming  on  her  forecastle, 
when  we  were  dropping  foul.  I  saw  Raoul  Yvard,  by  the 
light  of  the  fire,  as  plainly  as  I  now  see  you  ;  and  might 
have  picked  him  off  with  a  musket ;  but  that  would  hardly 
have  been  honourable." 

To  this  Cuffe  assented,  and  then  he  led  the  way  on  deck, 
having  previously  ordered  the  boats  manned.  The  two 
officers  proceeded  to  the  spot  where  they  supposed  the  Feu- 
Follet  had  been  anchored,  and  rowed  round,  for  near  an 
hour,  endeavouring  to  find  some  traces  of  her  wreck  on  the 
bottom.  Griffin  suggested  that,  when  the  magazine  was 
drowned,  in  the  hurry  and  confusion  of  the  moment,  the  cock 
may  have  been  left  open — a  circumstance  that  might  very 
well  have  carried  down  the  bottom  of  so  small  a  vessel,  in 
two  or  three  hours;  more  especially  after  her  hull  had 
burnt  to  the  water's  edge.  The  next  thing  was  to  find  this 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  179 

bottom,  by  no  means  a  hopeless  task,  as  the  waters  of  the 
Mediterranean  are  usually  so  clear,  that  the  eye  can  pene 
trate  several  fathoms,  even  off  the  mouth  of  the  Golo ;  a 
stream  that  brought  more  or  less  debris  from  the  mountains. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  the  search  was  not 
rewarded  with  success,  the  Feu-Follet  being,  just  at  that 
time,  snug  at  anchor  at  Bastia,  where  her  people  had  already 
taken  out  her  wounded  mainmast,  with  a  view  to  step  a  new 
one  in  its  place.  At  that  very  moment,  Carlo  Giuntotardi 
his  niece,  and  Raoul  Yvard,  were  walking  up  the  principal 
street  of  the  town,  the  place  standing  on  a  hill,  like  Porto 
Ferrajo,  perfectly  at  their  ease,  as  regards  fire-ships,  Eng 
lish  frigates,  and  the  dangers  of  the  seas.  But  all  this  was 
a  profound  mystery  to  Cuffe  and  his  companions,  who  had 
long  been  in  the  habit  of  putting  the  most  favourable  con 
structions  on  the  results  of  their  professional  undertakings, 
and,  certainly,  not  altogether  without  reason  ;  and  who 
nothing  doubted  that  le  Feu-Foliet  had,  to  use  their  own 
language,  "  laid  her  bones  somewhere  along-shore,  here." 

After  two  or  three  hours  passed  in  a  fruitless  search,  Cuffe 
determined  to  return  to  his  ship.  He  was  a  keen  sportsman, 
and  had  brought  a  fowling-piece  with  him,  in  his  gig,  with  a 
half-formed  design  of  landing,  and  whiling  away  the  time, 
until  the  westerly  wind  came,  among  some  marshes  that  he 
saw  near  the  shore ;  but  had  been  persuaded,  by  Griffin,  not 
to  venture. 

"  There  must  be  woodcock  in  that  wet  ground,  Griffin," 
he  said,  as  he  reluctantly  yielded  a  little  in  his  intention  ; 
"  and  Winchester  would  fancy  a  bird,  exceedingly,  in  a  day 
or  two.  I  never  was  hit,  in  my  life,  that  I  did  "not  feel  a 
desire  for  game,  after  the  fever  was  gone.  Snipe,  too,  must 
live  on  the  banks  of  that  stream.  Snipe  are  coming  in 
season,  now,  Griffin  ?" 

"  It 's  more  likely,  sir,  that  some  of  the  privateersmen 
have  got  ashore  on  planks,  and  empty  casks,  and  are  prowl 
ing  about  in  the  weeds,  watching  our  boats.  *  Three  or  four 
of  them  would  be  too  much  for  you,  Captain  Cuffe,  as  the 
scoundrels  all  carry  knives  as  long  as  ships'  cutlasses." 

."  I  suppose  your  notion  may  be  true ;  and  I  shall  have  to 
give  it  up.  Pull  back  to  the  frigate,  Davy,  and  we  '11  be  off 
after  some  more  of  these  French  ragamuffins." 


180  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

This  settled  the  matter.  In  half-an-hour,  the  boats  were 
swinging  at  the  Proserpine's  quarters  ;  and  three  hours 
later,  the  ship  was  under  her  canvass,  standing  slowly  off 
the  land.  That  day,  however,  the  zephyr  was  exceedingly 
light,  and  the  sun  set,  just  as  the  ship  got  the  small  island 
of  Pianosa  abeam ;  when  the  air  came  from  the  northward, 
and  the  ship's  head  was  laid  in  to  the  eastward ;  the  course 
lying  between  the  land  just  mentioned,  and  that  of  Elba. 
All  night  the  Proserpine  was  slowly  fanning  her  way  along 
the  south  side  of  the  latter  island,  when,  getting  the  southerly 
air  again,  in  the  morning,  she  reappeared  in  the  Canal  of 
Piombino,  as  the  day  advanced,  precisely  as  she  had  done 
before,  when  first  introduced  to  the  acquaintance  of  the 
reader.  Cuffe  had  given  orders  to  be  called,  as  usual,  when 
the  light  was  about  to  return  ;  it  being  a  practice  with  him, 
in  that  active  and  pregnant  war,  to  be  on  deck  at  such  mo 
ments,  in  order  to  ascertain,  with  his  own  eyes,  what  the 
fortunes  of  the  night  had  brought  within  his  reach. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Griffin,"  he  said,  as  soon  as  he  had  received 
the  salutation  of  the  officer  of  the  watch,  "  you  have  had  a 
still  night  of  it.  Yonder  is  the  Point  of  Piombino,  I  see  ;  and 
here  we  have  got  Elba,  and  this  little  rocky  island,  again, 
on  our  larboard  hand.  One  day  is  surprisingly  like  another, 
about  these  times,  for  us  mariners,  in  particular." 

"  Do  you  really  think  so,  Captain  Cuffe  ? — Now,  to  my 
notion,  this  day  hasn't  had  its  equal  on  the  Proserpine's  log, 
since  we  got  hold  of  1'Epervier,  and  her  convoy.  You  for 
get,  sir,  that  we  destroyed  le  Feu-Follet,  last  night !" 

"Ay  —  that  is  something  —  especially  for  you,  Griffin. 
Well,  Nelson  will  hear  of  it  by  mail,  as  soon  as  we  can  set 
into  Leghorn ;  which  will  be  immediately  after  I  have  had 
an  opportunity  of  communicating  with  these  people  in  Porto 
Ferrajo.  After  all  that  has  passed,  the  least  we  can  do  is  to 
let  your  veechy-govern-the-tories  know  of  our  success." 

"  Sail,  ho  !"  shouted  the  look-out,  on  the  foretopsail-yard. 

The  two  officers  turned,  and  gazed  around  them,  in  every 
direction,  when  the  captain  made  the  customary  demand  of 
*  Where-away  ?" 

"  Here,  sir,  close  aboard  of  us,  on  our  larboard  hand,  and 
in  our  weathe-r  quarter." 

"  On  our  weather  quarter ! — D n  me,  if  that  ca»  be 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  181 

true,  Griffin.  There  is  nothing  but  the  island,  there. — Tke 
felloAv  cannot  have  mistaken  this  little  island  for  the  hull  of 
a  ship !" 

"  If  he  has,  sir,"  answered  Griffin,  laughing,  "  it  must  be 
for  a  twenty-decker.  T-hat  is  Ben  Brown,  aloft ;  and  he  is 
as  good  a  look-out  as  we  have  in  the.  ship." 

"  Do  you  see  her,  sir  ?"  demanded  Ben  Brown,  looking 
over  his  shoulder,  to  put  the  question. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  her,"  cried  Cuffe.  "  You  must  be  dream 
ing,  fellow. — What  does  she  look  like  !" 

"  There,  this  small  island  shuts  her  in,  from  the  deck,  sir. 
She  is  a  lugger ;  and  looks  as  much  like  the  one  we  burnt 
last  night,  sir,  as  one  of  our  cat-heads  is  like  t'other." 

"  A  lugger  !"  exclaimed  Cuffe.  "  What,  another  of  the 
blackguards  !  By  Jove  !  I  '11  go  aloft,  and  take  a  look  for 
myself.  It 's  ten  to  one  that  I  see  her  from  the  maintop." 

In  three  minutes  more,  Captain  Cuffe  was  in  the  top  in 
question ;  having  passed  through  the  lubber-hole,  as  every 
sensible  man  does,  in  a  frigate,  more  especially  when  she 
stands  up  for  want  of  wind.  That  was  an  age  in  which 
promotion  was  rapid ;  there  being  few  grey-bearded  lieuten 
ants,  then,  in  the  English  marine;  and  even  admirals  were 
not  wanting  who  had  not  cut  all  their  wisdom-teeth.  Cuffe, 
consequently,  was  still  a  young  man ;  and  it  cost  him  no 
great  effort  to  get  up  his  ship's  ratlins,  in  the  manner  named. 
Once  in  the  top,  he  had  all  his  eyes  about  him.  For  quite 
a  minute,  he  stood  motionless,  gazing  in  the  direction  that 
had  been  pointed  out  by  Ben  Brown.  All  this  time  Griffin 
stood  on  the  quarter-deck,  looking  quite  as  intently  at  his 
superior,  as  the  latter  gazed  at  the  strange  sail.  Then  Cuffe 
deigned  to  cast*a  glance  literally  beneath  him,  in  order  to 
appease  the  curiosity,  which,  he  well  understood,  it  was  so 
natural  for  the  officer  of  the  watch  to  feel.  Griffin  did  not 
dare  to  ask  his  captain  what  he  saw  ;  but  he  looked  a  volume 
of  questions  on  the  interesting  subject. 

"  A  sister  corsair,  by  Jupiter  Amrnon  !"  cried  Cuffe  ;  "  a 
twin  sister,  too ;  for  they  are  as  much  alike  as  one  cat-head 
is  like  another.  More,  by  Jove,  if  1  am  any  judge." 

"  What  will  you  have  us  do,  Captain  Cuffe  ?"  inquired  the 
lieutenant.     "We  are  now  going  to  leeward,  all  the  while 
16 


182  LB    FEU-FOLLET. 

I  don't  know,  sir,  that  there  is  positively  a  current  here 
but—" 

"  Very  well,  sir — very  well — haul  up  on  the  larboard 
tack,  as  soon  as  possible,  and  get  the  larboard  batteries  clear. 
We  may  have  to  cripple  the  chan^in  order  to  get  hold  of 
him." 

As  this  was  said,  Cuffe  descended  through  the  same  lubber- 
hole,  and  soon  appeared  on  deck.  The  ship,  now,  became 
a  scene  of  activity  and  bustle.  All  hands  were  called,  and 
the  guns  were  cleared  away,  by  some,  while  others  braced 
the  yards,  according  to  the  new  line  of  sailing. 

The  reader  would  be  greatly  aided,  in  understanding  what 
is  to  follow,  could  he,  perchance,  cast  a  look  at  a  map  of 
the  coast  of  Italy.  He  will  there  see  that  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Island  of  Elba,  runs  in  a  nearly  north  and  south 
direction,  Piombino  lying  off  about  north-north-east,  from  its 
northern  extremity.  Near  this  northern  extremity,  lies  the 
little  rocky  islet,  so  often  mentioned,  or  the  spot  which  Na 
poleon,  fifteen  years  later,  selected  as  the  advanced  redoubt 
of  his  insular  empire.  Of  course,  the  Proserpine  was  on  one 
side  of  this  islet,  and  the  strange  lugger  on  the  other.  The 
first  had  got  so  far  through  the  Canal,  as  to  be  able  to  haul 
close  upon  the  wind,  on  the  larboard  tack,  and  yet  to  clear 
the  islet ;  while  the  last  was  just  far  enough  to  windward,  or 
sufficiently  to  the  southward,  to  be  shut  out  from  view,  frorr. 
the  frigate's  decks,  by  the  intervening  rocks.  As  the  dis 
tance  from  the  islet  to  the  island  did  not  much  exceed  a 
hundred  or  two  yards,  Captain  Cuffe  hoped  to  enclose  his 
chase  between  himself  and  the  land,  never  dreaming  that 
the  stranger  would  think  of  standing  through  so  narrow  and 
rocky  a  pass.  He  did  not  know  his  man,  however,  who 
was  Raoul  Yvard  ;  and  who  had  come  this  way,  from  Bastia, 
in  the  hope  of  escaping  any  further  collision  with  his  formi 
dable  foe.  He  had  seen  the  frigate's  lofty  sails,  above  the 
rock,  as  soon  as  it  was  light;  and  being  under  no  hallucina 
tion,  on  the  subject  of  her  existence,  he  knew  her  at  a  glance. 
His  first  order  was  to  haul  everything  as  flat  as  possible ; 
and  his  great  desire  was,  to  get  from  under  the  lee  of  iha 
mountains  of  Elba,  into  this  very  pass,  through  which  the 
wind  drew  with  more  force,  than  it  blew  anywhere,  near  by. 

As  the  Proserpine  was  quite  a  league  off,  in  the  Canal,  le 


L"E     FEU-FOLLET.  183 

Feu-Follet,  which  sailed  so  much  the  fastest,  in  light  winds, 
had  abundance  of  time  to  effect  her  object.  Instead  of 
avoiding  the  narrow  pass  between  the  two  islands,  Raoul 
glided  boldly  into  it ;  and,  by  keeping  vigilant  eyes  on  his 
fore-yard,  to  apprize  him  of  danger,  he  succeeded  in  making 
two  stretches,  in  the  strait  itself,  coming  out  to  the  southward, 
on  the  starboard  tack,  handsomely  clearing  the  end  of  the 
islet,  at  the  very  instant  the  frigate  appeared  on  the  other 
side  of  the  pass.  The  lugger  had  now  an  easy  task  of  it; 
for  she  had  only  to  watch  her  enemy,  and  tack  in  season,  to 
deep  the  islet  between  them ;  since  the  English  did  not  dare 
to  carry  so  large  a  ship  through  so  narrow  an  opening. 
This  advantage  Raoul  did  not  overlook,  and  Cuffe  had  gone 
about  twice,  closing,  each  time,  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  islet, 
before  he  was  satisfied  that  his  guns  would  be  of  no  service, 
until  he  could,  at  least,  weather  the  intervening  object ;  after 
which  they  would  most  probably  be  useless,  in  so  light  a 
wind,  by  the  distance  between  them  and  their  enemy. 

"  Never  mind,  Mr.  Griffin;  let  this  scamp  go,"  said  the 
captain,  when  he  made  this  material  discovery  ;  "it  is  pretty 
well  to  have  cleared  the  seas  of  one  of  them. — Besides,  we 
do  not  know  that  this  is  an  enemy,  at  all.  He  showed  no 
colours,  and  seems  to  have  just  come  out  of  Porto  Ferrajo, 
a  friendly  haven." 

"  Raoul  Yvard  did  that,  sir,  not  once,  but  twice,"  muttered 
Yelverton,  who,  from  the  circumstance  that  he  had  not  been 
employed  in  the  different  attempts  on  le  Feu-Follet,  was  one 
of  the  very  few  dissentients  in  the  ship,  touching  her  fate. 
"  These  twins  are  exceedingly  alike ;  especially  Pomp,  as 
the  American  negro  said  of  his  twin  children." 

This  remark  passed  unheeded  ;  for  so  deep  was  the  delu 
sion,  in  the  ship,  touching  the  destruction  of  the  privateer,  it 
would  have  been  as  hopeless  an  attempt,  to  try  to  persuade 
her  officers  and  people,  generally,  that  le  Feu-Follet  was  not 
burnod,  as  it  would  be  to  induce  a  "great  nation"  to  believe 
it  had  any  of  the  weaknesses  and  foibles  that  confessedly 
beset  smaller  communities.  The  Proserpine  was  put  about, 
again  ;  and,  setting  her  ensign,  she  stood  into  the  bay  of 
Porto  Ferrajo ;  anchoring  quite  near  the  place  that  Raoul 
had  selected  for  the  same  purpose,  on  two  previous  occasions. 
The  gig  was  lowered,  and  Cuffe,  accompanied  by  Griffiu,  as 


184  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

an  interpreter,  landed,  to  pay  the  usual  visit  of  ceremony  to 
the  authorities. 

The  wind  being  so  light,  several  hours  were  necessary 
to  effect  all  these  changes ;  and,  by  the  time  the  two  officers 
were  ascending  the  terraced  street,  the  day  had  advanced 
sufficiently  to  render  the  visit  suitable,  as  to  time.  Cuffe 
appearing  in  full  uniform,  with  epaulettes  and  sword,  his 
approach  attracted  notice;  and  Vito  Viti  had  hurried  off  to 
apprize  his  friend  of  the  honour  he  was  about  to  receive. 
The  vice-governatore  was  not  taken  by  surprise,  therefore, 
but  had  some  little  time  to  prepare  his  excuses,  for  being  the 
dupe  of  a  fraud,  as  impudent  as  that  which  Raoul  Yvard 
had  so  successfully  practised  on  him.  The  reception  was 
dignified,  though  courteous ;  and  it  had  none  the  less  of 
ceremony,  from  the  circumstance  that  all  which  was  said  by 
the  respective  colloquists,  had  to  be  translated,  before  it 
could  be  understood.  This  circumstance  rendered  the  few 
first  minutes  of  the  interview  a  little  constrained  ;  but  each 
party  having  something  on  his  mind,  of  which  it  was  his 
desire  to  be  relieved,  natural  feeling  soon  got  the  better  of 
forms. 

"  I  ought  to  explain  to  you,  Sir  CufFe,  the  manner  in 
which  a  recent  event  occurred  in  our  bay,  here,"  observed 
the  vice-governatore;  "  since,  without  such  explanation,  you 
might  be  apt  to  consider  us  neglectful  of  our  duties,  and 
unworthy  of  the  trust  which  the  Grand  Duke  reposes  in 
us.  I  allude,  as  you  will  at  once  understand,  to  the  circum 
stance  that  le  Feu-Follet  has  twice  been  lying  peaceably 
under  the  guns  of  our  batteries,  while  her  commander,  and, 
indeed,  some  of  her  crew,  have  been  hospitably  entertained 
on  shore." 

"  Such  things  must  occur,  in  times  like  these,  Mr.  Veechy- 
Governatory  ;  and  we  seamen  set  them  down  to  the  luck  of 
war,"  Cuffe  answered,  graciously,  being  much  too  magnani 
mous,  under  his  own  success,  to  think  of  judging  others  too 
harshly.  "  It  might  not  be  so  easy  to  deceive  a  man-of- 
war's-man,  like  myself;  but,  I  dare  say,  Veechy-Governa- 
tory,  had  it  been  anything  relating  to  the  administration  of 
your  little  island,  here,  even  Monsieur  Yvard  would  have 
found  you  too  much  for  him  ?" 

The  reader  will  perceive  that  Cuffe  had  got  a  new  way 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  185 

of  pronouncing  the  appellation  of  the  Elban  functionary;  a 
circumstance  that  was  owing  to  the  desire  we  all  have,  when 
addressing  foreigners,  to  speak  in  their  own  language,  rather 
than  in  our  own.  The  worthy  captain  had  no  more  precise 
ideas  of  what  a  rice-governor  means,  than  the  American 
people,  just  now,  seem  to  possess  of  the  signification  of  vice- 
president  ;  but,  as  he  had  discovered  that  the  word  was 
pronounced  "  veechy,"  in  Italian,  he  was  quite  willing  to 
give  it  its  true  sound ;  albeit,  a  smile  struggled  round  the 
mouth  of  Griffin,  while  he  listened. 

"  You  do  me  no  more  than  justice,  Signor  Kooffe,  or  Sir 
KoofFe,  as,  I  presume,  I  ought  to  address  you,"  answered  the 
functionary ;  "  for,  in  matters  touching  our  duties  on  shore, 
here,  we  are  by  no  means  as  ignorant,  as  on  matters  touch 
ing  your  honourable  calling.  This  Raoul  Yvard  presented 
himself,  to  me,  in  the  character  of  a  British  officer,  one  I 
esteem  and  respect ;  having  audaciously  assumed  the  name 
of  a  family  of  high  condition,  and  of  great  power,  I  believe, 
among  your  people — " 

«  Ah — the  Barone  !"  exclaimed  Cuffe  ;  who,  having  dis 
covered  by  his  intercourse  with  the  southern  Italians  that 
this  word  meant  a  "  rascal,"  as  well  as  a  "  baron,"  was  fond 
of  using  it,  on  suitable  occasions.  "  Pray,  Veechy-Gover- 
natory,  what  name  did  he  assume  ?  Ca'endish,  or  Howard, 
or  Seymour,  or  some  of  those  great  nobs,  Griffin,  I  '11  engage ! 
I  wonder  that  he  spared  Nelson  !" 

"  No,  Signore,  he  took  the  family  appellation  of  another 
illustrious  race.  The  republican  corsair  presented  himself 
before  me  as  a  Sir  Smees  —  the  son  of  a  certain  Milordo 
Smees."  . 

"  Smees — Smees — Smees  ! — I  've  no  recollection  of  any 
such  name,  in  the  peerage.  It  can't  be  Seymour  that  the 
Veechy  means  ! — That  is  a  great  name,  certainly;  and  some 
of  them  have  been  in  the  service  ;  it  is  possible  this  barone 
may  have  had  the  impudence  to  hail  for  a  Seymour !" 

"  I  rather  think  not,  Captain  Cuffe.  '  Smees'  is  very 
much  as  an  Italian  would  pronounce  'Smith,'  as,  you  know, 
the  French  call  it  « Smeet.'  It  will  turn  out  ihat  this  Mr. 
Raoul  has  seized  upon  the  first  English  name  he  fell  in  with, 
as  a  man  overboard  clutches  at  a  spar  adrift,  or  a  life-buoy ; 
and  that  happened  to  be  *  Smith.'  " 
16* 


186  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"  Who  the  devil  ever  heard  of  a  my  lord  Smith !  A 
pretty  sort  of  aristocracy  we  should  have,  Griffin,  if  it  were 
made  up  of  such  fellows !" 

"  Why,  sir,  the  name  can  make  no  great  difference  ;  the 
deeds  and  the  antiquity  forming  the  essentials." 

"  And  he  assumed  a  title  to — Sir  Smees  ! — I  dare  say,  he 
was  ready  to  swear  His  Majesty  made  him  a  Knight.  Ban- 
neret,  under  the  royal  ensign,  and  on  the  deck  of  his  own 
ship ;  as  was  done  with  some  of  the  old  admirals.  The 
veechy,  however,  has  forgotten  a  part  of  the  story,  as  it 
must  have  been  Sir  John,  or  Sir  Thomas  Smees,  at  least." 

"No,  sir ;  that  is  the  way  with  the  French  and  the  Italians, 
who  do  not  understand  our  manner  of  using  Christian  names 
with  titles  ;  as  in  our  Sir  Edwards,  and  Lord  Harrys,  and 
Lady  Bettys." 

"  Blast  the  French !  I  can  believe  anything  of  them, 
(hough  I  should  have  thought  that  these  Italians  knew  bet 
ter.  However,  it  may  be  well  to  give  the  veechy  a  hint  of 
what  we  have  been  saying,  or  it  may  seem  rude — and, 
hearkee,  Griffin,  while  you  are  about  it,  rub  him  down  a 
fittle  touching  books,  and  that  sort  of  thing ;  for  the  surgeon 
tells  me,  he  has  heard  of  him,  in  Leghorn,  as  a  regular  leaf 
cutter." 

The  lieutenant  did  as  ordered,  throwing  in  an  allusion  to 
Andrea's  reputation  for  learning,  that,  under  the  circum 
stances,  was  not  ill-timed  ;  and  which,  as  it  was  well-enough 
expressed,  was  exceedingly  grateful  to  his  listener,  just  at 
that  awkward  moment. 

"  My  claims  to  literature  are  but  small,  Signore,"  an- 
swered  Andrea,  with  humility,  "  as  I  beg  you  will  inform 
SirKoofFe;but  they  were  sufficient  to  detect  certain  assump 
tions  of  this  corsair;  a  circumstance,  that  came  very  near 
bringing  about  an  exposure,  at  a  most  critical  moment.  He 
had  the  audacity,  Signore,  to  wish  to  persuade  me,  that  there 
was  a  certain  English  orator  of  the  same  name,  and  of  equal 
merit  of  him  of  Roma  and  Pompeii — one  Sir  Cicero  !" 

"  The  Barone !"  again  exclaimed  CufFe,  when  this  new 
offence  of  Raoul's  was  explained  to  him.  "  I  believes  tho 
rascal  was  up  to  anything.  But  there  is  an  end  of  him, 
now,  with  all  his  Sir  Smees,  and  Sir  Ciceroes,  into  the  bar- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  187 

gain.  "  Just  let  the  veechy  into  the  secret  of  the  fellow's  fate, 
Griffin." 

Griffin  then  related  to  the  vice-governatore  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  supposed  that  le  Feu-Follet,  Raoul  Yvard,  and 
all  his  associates,  had  been  consumed,  like  caterpillars  on  a 
tree.  Andrea  Barrofaldi  listened,  with  a  proper  degree  of 
horror  expressed  in  his  countenance  ;  but  Vito  Viti  heard  the 
tale  with  signs  of  indifference  and  incredulity  that  he  did  not 
care  to  conceal.  Nevertheless,  Griffin  persevered,  until  he 
had  even  given  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which  he  and 
CufTe  examined  the  lugger's  anchorage,  in  the  bootless  attempt 
to  discover  the  wreck. 

To  all  this,  the  two  functionaries  listened  with  profound 
attention,  and  a  lively  surprise.  After  looking  at  each  other 
several  times,  and  exchanging  significant  gestures,  Andrea 
assumed  the  office  of  explaining. 

"  There  is  some  extraordinary  mistake  in  this,  Signer 
Tenente,"  he  said ;  "  for  Raoul  Yvard  still  lives.  He  passed 
this  promontory  just  as  day  dawned,  in  his  lugger,  this  very 
morning !" 

"  Ay,  he  has  got  that  notion  from  having  seen  the  fellow 
we  fell  in  with  off  the  harbour,  here,"  answered  Cuffe,  when 
this  speech  was  translated  to  him  ;  "  and  I  don't  wonder  at 
it,  for  the  two  vessels  were  surprisingly  alike.  But  the 
Baronc,  that  we  saw  burned  with  our  own  eyes,  Griffin,  can 
never  float  again.  I  say  Barone  ;  for,  in  my  opinion,  the 
Few-Folly  was  just  as  much  of  a  rascal,  as  her  commander, 
and  all  who  sailed  in  her." 

Griffin  explained  this ;  but  it  met  with  no  favour  from  the 
two  Italians. 

"  Not  so,  Signer  Tenente — not  so,"  returned  the  vice- 
governatore  ;  "  the  lugger  that  passed,  this  morning,  we 
know  to  be  le  Feu-Follet,  inasmuch  as  she  took  one  of  our 
own  feluccas,  in  the  course  of  the  night,  coming  from 
Livorno,  and  Raoul  Yvard  permitted  her  to  come  in,  as  he 
said  to  her  padrone,  on  account  of  the  civil  treatment  he  had 
received,  while  lying  in  our  port.  Nay,  he  even  carried  his 
presumption  so  far,  as  to  send  me,  by  means  of  the  same 
man,  the  compliments  of'  Sir  Smees,'  and  his  hopes  of  being 
able,  some  day,  to  make  his  acknowledgments  in  person." 


188  LE     FEU-FOLLET 

The  English  Captain  received  this  intelligence,  as 'might 
be  expected  ;  and,  unpleasant  as  it  was,  after  putting  various 
questions  to  the  vice-governatore,  and  receiving  the  answers, 
he  was  obliged,  unwillingly  enough,  to  believe  it  all.  He 
had  brought  his  official  report  in  his  pocket ;  and,  as  the 
conversation  proceeded,  he  covertly  tore  it  into  fragments, 
so  small,  that  even  a  Mahommedan  would  reject  them,  as 
not  large  enough  to  write  the  word  "  Allah"  on. 

"  It 's  d h  lucky,  Griffin,  that  letter  didn't  get  to  Leg 
horn,  this  morning,"  he  said,  after  a  long  pause.  "  Nelson 
would  have  Bronted  me,  famously,  had  he  got  it !  Yet,  I 
never  believed  half  as  devoutly  in  the  twenty -nine  articles, 

"  I  believe  there  are  thirty-woe  of  them,  Captain  Cuffe," 
modestly  put  in  Griffin. 

"  Well,  thirty-nine,  if  you  will — what  signifies  ten,  more 
or  less,  in  such  matters?  A  man  is  ordered  to  believe  them 
all,  if  there  were  a  hundred. — But  I  never  believed  in  them, 
as  devoutly,  as  I  believed  in  the  destruction  of  that  infernal 
picaroon.  My  faith  is  unsettled,  for  Hie  !" 

Griffin  offered  a  few  words  of  condolence,  but  he  was  also 
too  much  mortified  to  be  very  able  to  administer  consolation. 
Andrea  Barrofaldi,  understanding  the  state  of  the  case,  now 
interposed  with  his  courtesies,  and  the  two  officers  were  in 
vited  to  share  his  bachelor's  breakfast.  What  followed,  in 
consequence  of  this  visir,  and  the  communications  to  which 
it  gave  "ise,  will  appear  in  the  course  of  the  narrative, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  189 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

u  If  ever  you  have  looked  on  better  days, 
If  ever  been  where  bells  have  knolled  to  church; 
If  ever  sat  at  any  good  man's  feast ! 
If  ever  from  your  eyelids  wiped   a  tear, 
And  know  what  'tis  to  pity,  and  be  pitied, 
Let  gentleness  my  strong  enforcement  be." 

SHAKSFEARE. 

IT  is  now  necessary  to  advance  (.he  time,  and  to  transfer 
the  scene  of  our  talo  to  another,  but  not  a  distant  part  of  the 
same  sea.  Let  the  reader  fancy  himself  standing  at  the 
mouth  of  a  large  bay,  of  some  sixteen  or  eighteen  miles 
in  diameter,  in  nearly  every  direction;  though  the  shores 
must  be  indented,  with  advancing  promontories,  and  receding 
curvatures,  while  the  depth  of  the  whole  might  possibly  a  little 
exceed  the  greatest  width.  He  will  then  occupy  the  spot  at 
which  we  wish  to  present  to  him  one  of  the  fairest  panoramas 
of  earth.  On  his  right  stands  a  high,  rocky  island,  of  dark 
tufa,  rendered  gay,  amid  all  its  magnificent  formations,  by 
smiling  vineyards  and  teeming  villages,  and  interesting  by 
ruins  that  commemorate  events  as  remote  as  the  Csesars. 
A  narrow  passage  of  the  blue  Mediterranean  separates  this 
island  from  a  bold  cape  on  the  main,  whence  follows  a  suc 
cession  of  picturesque,  village-clad  heights  and  valleys, 
relieved  by  scenery  equally  bold  and  soft,  and  adorned  by 
the  monkish  habitations  called  in  the  language  of  the  coun 
try,  Camaldolis,  until  we  reach  a  small  city  which  stands  on 
a  plain  that  rises  above  the  water  between  one  and  two  hun 
dred  feet,  on  a  base  of  tufa,  and  the  houses  of  which  extend 
to  the  very  verge  of  the  dizzy  cliffs  that  limit  its  extent  on 
the  north.  The  plain,  itself,  is  like  a  hive,  with  its  dwellings 
and  scenes  of  life,  while  the  heights  behind  it  teem  with  cot 
tages  and  the  signs  of  human  labour.  Quilting  this  smiling 
part  of  the  coast,  we  reach  a  point,  always  following  the 
circuit  of  the  bay,  where  the  hills  or  heights  tower  into 
ragged  mountains,  which  stretch  their  pointed  peaks  up 
wards  to  some  six  or  seven  thousand  feet  towards  the 


190  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

clouds,  having  sides  now  wild  with  precipices  and  ravines, 
now  picturesque  with  shooting-towers,  hamlets,  monasteries 
and  bridle-paths;  and  bases  dotted,  or  rather  lined,  with 
towns  and  villages.  Here  the  mountain  formation  quits  the 
margin  of  the  bay,  following  the  coast  southward,  or  running 
into  the  interior  of  the  country  ;  and  the  shore,  sweeping 
round  to  the  north  and  west,  oflers  a  glimpse  into  a  back 
ground  of  broad  plain,  ere  it  meets  a  high,  insulated,  conical 
mountain,  which  properly  forms  the  head  of  the  coast  in 
dentation.  The  human  eye  never  beheld  a  more  affluent 
scene  of  houses,  cities,  villages,  vineyards  and  country  resi 
dences,  than  was  presented  by  the  broad  breast  of  this 
isolated  mountain ;  passing  which,  a  wider  view  is  obtained 
of  the  rich  plain  that  seems  to  lie  behind  it,  bounded,  as  it  is, 
by  a  wall  of  a  distant  and  mysterious-looking,  yet  bold 
range  of  the  Apennines.  Returning  to  the  shore,  which  now 
begins  to  incline  more  westwardly,  we  come  to  another  swell 
of  tufa,  which  has  all  the  characteristic  fertility  and  abrupt 
ness  of  that  peculiar  formation,  a  vast  and  populous  town  of 
near  half  a  million  of  souls  being  seated,  in  nearly  equal 
parts,  on  the  limits  of  the  plain  and  along  the  margin  of  the 
water,  or  on  the  hill-sides,  climbing  to  their  summits.  From 
this  point,  the  northern  side  of  the  bay  is  a  confused  mass 
of  villages,  villas,  ruins,  palaces  and  vines,  until  w7e  reach 
its  extremity ;  a  low  promontory,  like  its  opposite  neigh 
bour,  A  small  island  comes  next,  a  sort  of  natural  sentinel; 
then  the  coast  sweeps  northward,  into  another  and  a  smaller 
bay,  rich,  to  satiety,  with  relics,  of  the  past,  terminating  at  a 
point,  some  miles  farther  seaward,  with  a  high,  reddish, 
sandy  bluff,  which  almost  claims  to  be  a  mountain.  After 
this  we  see  two  more  islands,  lying  westward,  one  of  which 
is  flat,  fertile,  and  more  populous,  as  is  said,  than  any  other 
part  of  Europe  of  the  same  extent ;  while  the  other  is  a 
glorious  combination  of  pointed  mountains,  thronged  towns, 
fertile  valleys,  castles,  country-houses,  and  the  wrecks  of 
long-dormant  volcanoes,  thrown  together  in  a  grand,  yet 
winning  confusion.  If  the  reader  will,  to  this  description, 
add  a  shore  that  has  scarce  a  foot  that  is  not  interesting 
with  some  lore  of  the  past,  extending  from  yesterday  into  the 
darkest  recesses  of  history,  give  life  to  the  water-view  with  a 
fleet  of  little  latine-rigged  craft,  rendered  more  picturesque  by 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  191 

an  occasional  ship,  dot  the  bay  with  countless  boats  of  fisher 
men,  and  send  up  a  wreath  of  smoke  from  the  summit  of  the 
cone-like  mountain  that  forms  the  head  of  the  bay,  he  will 
get  an  outline  of  all  that  strikes  the  eye,  as  the  stranger 
approaches  Naples  from  the  sea. 

The  zephyr  was  again  blowing,  and  the  daily  fleet  of 
sparanaras,  or  undecked  feluccas,  that  passes  every  morning, 
at  this  season,  from  the  south  shore  to  the  capital,  and  re 
turns  at  this  hour,  was  stretching  out  from  under  Vesuvius; 
some  looking  up  as  high  as  Massa;  others  heading  towards 
Sorrento,  or  Vico,  or  Persano,  and  many  keeping  more 
before  the  wind,  towards  Castel  a  Mare,  or  the  landings  in 
that  neighbourhood.  The  breeze  was  getting  to  be  so  fresh, 
that  the  fishermen  were  beginning  to  pull  in  towards  the  land, 
breaking  up  their  lines,  which,  in  some  places,  had  extended 
nearly  a  league,  and  this,  too,  with  the  .boats  lying  within 
speaking  distance  of  each  other.  The  head  of  the  bay, 
indeed,  was  alive  with  craft,  moving  in  different  directions, 
while  a  large  fleet  of  English,  Russians,  Neapolitans,  and 
Turks,  composed  of  two-deckers,  frigates  and  sloops,  lay  at 
their  anchors,  in  front  of  the  town.  On  board  of  one  of  the 
largest  of  the  former,  was  flying  the  flag  of  a  rear-admiral 
at  the  mizzen,  the  symbol  of  the  commander's  rank.  A 
corvette,  alone,  was  under-way.  She  had  left  the  anchor 
age  an  hour  before,  and,  with  studding-sails  on  her  starboard 
side,  was  stretching  diagonally  across  the  glorious  bay, 
apparently  heading  towards  the  passage  between  Capri  arid 
the  Point  of  Campanella,  bound  to  Sicily.  This  ship  might 
easily  have  weathered  the  island ;  but  her  commander,  an 
easy  sort  of  person,  chose  to  make  a  fair  wind  of  it  from  the 
start,  and  he  thonght,  by  hugging  the  coast,  he  might  pos 
sibly  benefit  by  the  land-breeze,  during  the  night,  trusting  to 
the  zephyr  that  was  then  blowing,  to  carry  him  across  the 
Gulf  of  Salerno.  A  frigate,  too,  shot  out  of  the  fleet,  under 
her  staysails,  as  soon  as  the  westerly  wind  made ;  but,  she 
had  dropped  an  anchor  under-foot,  and  seemed  to  wait  some 
preparation,  or  orders,  before  taking  her  departure  ;  her 
captain  being,  at  that  moment,  on  board  the  flag-ship,  on 
duty  with  the  rear-admiral.  This  was  the  Proserpine  thirty 
six,  Captain  CufFe,  a  vessel  and  an  officer  that  are  already 
both  acquaintances  of  the  reader.  About  an  hour  before  the 


192  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

present  scene  opens,  Captain  Cuffe,  in  fact,  had  been  called 
on  board  the  Foudroyant,  by  signal,  where  he  had  found  a 
small,  sallow-looking,  slightly-built  man,  with  his  right  arm 
wanting,  pacing  the  deck  of  the  fore-cabin,  impatient  for  his 
appearance. 

"  Well,  Cuffe,"  said  this  uninviting-looking  personc  ge, 
twitching  the  stump  of  the  maimed  arm,  "  I  see  you  are  out 
of  the  flock;  are  you  all  ready  for  sailing?" 

"  We  have  one  boat  ashore,  after  letters,  my  lord  ;  as 
soon  as  she  comes  off,  we  shall  lift  our  anchor,  which  is  only 
undor-foot." 

"  Very  well — I  have  sent  the  Ringdove  to  the  southward, 
on  the  same  errand,  and  I  see  she  is  half-a-league  from  the 
anchorage,  on  her  way,  already.  This  Mr.  Griffin  appears 
to  be  a  fine  young  man — I  like  his  account  of  the  way  he 
handled  his  fire-ship ;  though  the  French  scoundrel  did  con 
trive  to  escape  !  After  all,  this  Rowl  E — E —  how  do  you 
pronounce  the  fellow's  name,  Cuffe? — I  never  can  make 
anything  out  of  their  gibberish — " 

"  Why,  to  own  the  truth,  Sir  Horatio — I.  beg  pardon — my 
lord — there  is  something  in  the  English  grain  of  my  feelings 
that  would  prevent  my  ever  learning  French,  had  I  been 
born  and  brought  up  in  Paris.  There  is  too  much  Saxon  in 
me,  to  swallow  words  that  half  the  time  have  no  meaning." 

"  I  like  you  all  the  better,  for  that,  Cuffe,"  answered  the 
admiral,  smiling,  a  change  that  converted  a  countenance  that 
was  almost  ugly,  when  in  a  state  of  rest,  into  one  that  was 
almost  handsome — a  peculiarity  that  is  by  no  means  of  rare 
occurrence,  when  a  strong  will  gives  the  expression  to  the 
features,  and  the  heart,  at  bottom,  is  really  sound.  *'  An 
Englishman  has  no  business  with  any  Gallic  tendencies. 
This  young  Mr.  Griffin  seems  to  have  spirit;  and  I  look 
upon  it,  always,  as  a  good  sign,  when  a  young  man  volun 
teers  for  a  desperate  thing  of  this  sort — but,  he  tells  me,  he 
is  only  second  ;  where  was  your  first,  all  the  while'/" 

"  Why,  my  lord,  he  got  a  little  hurt  in  the  brush  of  the 
morning;  and  I  would  not  let  him  go,  as  a  matter  of  course. 
His  name  is  Winchester ;  I  think  you  must  remember  him, 
as  junior  of  the  Captain,  at  the  affair  off  St.  Vincent.  Miller* 

*  Ralph  Willet  Miller,  the  officer  who  commanded  the  ship  to  which 
Nelson  shifted  his  pennant,  at  the  battle  of  Cape  St.  Vincent.  This 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  193 

had  a  good  opinion  of  him  ;  and,  when  I  went  from  the 
Arrow  to  the  Proserpine,  he  got  him  sent  as  my  second. 
The  death  of  poor  Drury  made  him  first,  in  the  natural 
way." 

"  I  have  some  recollection  of  him,  Cuffe. — That  was  a 
brilliant  day,  and  all  its  events  should  be  impressed  on  my 
mind.  You  tell  me,  Mr.  Griffin  fairly  grappled  the  lugger's 
cable  ?" 

"  Of  that  there  can  be  no  manner  of  doubt. — I  saw  the 
two  vessels  foul  of  each  other,  with  my  night-glass  —  and, 
seemingly,  both  were  on  fire — as  plainly  as  I  ever  saw  Vesu 
vius,  in  a  dark  night." 

"  And  yet  this  Few-Folly  has  escaped  ! — Poor  Griffin  has 
run  a  desperate  risk,  for  little  purpose." 

"  He  has,  indeed,  my  lord." 

Here,  Nelson,  who  had  been  pacing  the  cabin  with  quick 
steps,  while  CufTe  stood,  respectfully  declining  the  gesture  to 
be  seated,  at  the  table  in  its  centre,  suddenly  stopped,  and 
looked  the  Captain  steadily  in  the  face.  The  expression  of 
his  countenance  was  now  mild  and  earnest,  and  the  pause 
which  preceded  his  words,  gave  the  latter  solemnity  and 
weight. 

"  The  day  will  come,  CufFe,"  he  said,  "  when  this  young 
man  will  rejoice  that  his  design  on  these  picaroons,  French 
men  as  they  are,  failed.  Yes,  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart, 
will  he  be  glad." 

*  My  lord !" 

"I  know  you  think  this  strange,  Captain  Cuffe;  but  no 
man  sleeps  the  sounder  for  having  burnt  or  blown  up  a 
hundred  of  his  fellow-creatures,  like  so  many  widows  at  a 
suttee. — But  we  are  not  the  less  to  commend  those  who  did 
what  was  certainly  their  duty." 

"  Am  I  to  understand,  Lord  Nelson,  that  the  Proserpine 
is  not  to  destroy  the  Few-Folly,  at  every  hazard,  should  we 
again  have  the  luck  to  fall  in  with  her?" 

"By  no  means,  sir.     Our  orders  are  to  burn,  sink  and 

gentleman  was  an  American,  and  a  native  Manhattanese ;  his  near 
relatives,  of  the  same  name,  still  residing1  in  New  York.  It  is  I  elieved 
that  he  got  the  name  of  Willet  from  the  first  English  mayor  ;  a  gentle, 
man  from  whom  are  descended  many  of  the  old  families  of  the  lower 
part  of  tiie  state ;  more  particulary  those  on  Long-Island. 
17 


194  LE     PEU-POLLET. 

destroy.  Such  is  England's  policy,  in  this  desperate  war, 
and  it  must  be  carried  out.  You  know  what  we  are  con 
tending  for,  as  well  as  I  do ;  and  it  is  a  struggle  that  is  not 
to  be  carried  on  with  courtesies;  still,  one  would  not  wish  to 
see  a  glorious  and  sacred  cause  tarnished  by  inhumanity. 
Men  that  fall  in  fair,  manly  combat,  are  to  be  envied  rathe* 
than  pitied,  since  it  is  only  paying  the  great  debt  of  nature 
a  little  sooner  than  might  otherwise  have  happened ;  but 
there  is  something  revolting  to  humanity,  in  burning  up  our 
fellow-creatures,  as  one  would  burn  rags,  after  the  plague. 
Nevertheless,  this  lugger  must  be  had,  at  any  price;  for 
English  commerce  and  English  power  are  not  to  be  cut  up 
and  braved,  in  this  audacious  manner,  with  impunity.  The 
career  of  these  French  tigers  must  be  stopped,  at  every  sacri 
fice,  Captain  CuiTe." 

"  I  know  that,  my  lord ;  and  I  like  a  republican  as  little 
as  you  can  do ;  or  His  Majesty,  himself,  for  that  matter ; 
and,  I  take  it,  he  has  as  little  relish  for  the  animal  as  flesh 
and  blood  can  give." 

"  I  know  you  do,  CufTe — I  'm  sure  you  do  ;  and  I  esteem 
you  all  the  more  for  it.  It  is  a  part  of  an  Englishman's 
religion,  in  times  like  these,  to  hate  a  Frenchman.  I  went 
across  the  Channel,  after  the  peace  of  '83,  to  learn  their 
language,  but  had  so  little  sympathy  with  them,  even  in 
peaceable  times,  as  never  to  be  able  to  make  out  to  write  a 
letter  in  it,  or  even  to  ask  intelligibly  for  the  necessaries  of 
life." 

"  If  you  can  ask  for  anything,  it  far  surpasses  my  efforts; 
I  never  can  tell  head  from  stern,  in  their  dialect." 

"  It  is  an  infernal  jargon,  Cuffe,  and  has  got  to  be  so  con 
fused  by  their  academies,  and  false  philosophy,  and  infidelity, 
that  they  will  shortly  be  at  a  loss  to  understand  it  them 
selves.  What  sort  of  names  they  give  their  ships,  for  in 
stance,  now  they  have  beheaded  their  king,  and  denounced 
their  God ! — Who  ever  heard  of  christening  a  craft,  as  you 
tell  me  this  lugger  is  named,  the  *  Few-Folly  V  —  I  believe 
I  've  got  the  picaroon's  title  right?" 

"  Quite  right — Griffin  pronounces  it  so,  though  he  has 
got  to  be  a  little  queerish,  in  his  own  English,  by  using  so 
much  French  and  Italian.  The  young  man's  father  was  a 
consul ;  and  he  has  half-a-dozen  foreign  lingos  stowed  away 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  195 

in  his  brain.  He  pronounces  Folly,  something  broadish — 
like  Fol/a?/,  I  believe  —  but  it  means  all  the  same  thing. 
Folly  is  lolly,  pronounce  it  as  you  will." 

Nelson  continued  to  pace  his  cabin,  working  the  stump 
of  his  arm,  and  smiling  half-bitterly ;  half  in  a  sort  of  irony 
that  inclined  him  to  be  in  a  good-humour  with  himself. 

"  Do  you  remember  the  ship,  Cuffe,  we  had  that  sharp 
brush  with,  off  Toulon,  in  old  Agamemnon?"  he  said,  after 
making  a  turn  or  two,  in  silence?  "  I  mean  the  dismasted 
eighty-four,  that  was  in  tow  of  the  frigate,  and  which  we 
peppered  until  their  Gallic  soup  had  some  taste  to  it !  Now, 
do  you  happen  to  know  her  real  name,  in  good  honest  Eng 
lish?" 

"  I  do  not,  my  lord.  I  remember,  they  said  she  was 
called  the  Ca  Ira ;  and  I  always  supposed  that  it  -was  the 
name  of  some  old  Greek  or  Roman — or,  perhaps,  of  one  of 
their  new-fangled  republican  saints." 

"  They  ! — D n  'em,  they  've  got  no  saints,  to  name, 

my  good  fellow,  since  they  cashiered  all  the  old  ones ! 
There  is  something  respectable  in  the  names  of  a  Spanish 
fleet ;  and  one  feels  that  he  is  flogging  gentlemen,  at  least, 
while  he  is  at  work  on  them.  No,  sir,  Ca  Ira  means,  neither 
more  nor  less,  than  '  That  '11  Do  ;'  and,  I  fancy,  Cuffe,  they 
thought  of  their  own  name  more  than  once,  while  the  old 
Greek  was  hanging  on  their  quarter,  smashing  their  cabin- 
windows  for  them  !  A  pretty  sound  it  would  have  been,  had 
we  got  her,  and  put  her  into  our  own  service — His  Majesty's 
ship  'That'll  Do,'  84,  Captain  Cuffe !" 

"  I  certainly  should  have  petitioned  my  Lords  Commis 
sioners  to  change  her  name." 

"  You  would  have  done  quite  right. — A  man  might  as 
well  sail  in  a  man-of-war  called  the  'Enough.'  Then,  there 
was  the  three-decker,  that  helped  her  out  of  the  scrape,  the 
Sans-Culottes,  as  the  French  call  her ; — I  suppose,  you  know 
what  that,  means  ?" 

"  Not  I,  my  lord  ;  to  own  the  truth,  I  'm  no  scholar ;  and 
am  entirely  without  ambition,  in  that  way.  '  Sans,'  I  sup 
pose,  is  the  French  for  '  saint ;'  but  who  '  Culottes'  was,  I  've 
not  the  least  notion." 

Nelson  smiled,  and  the  turn  the  conversation  had  taken 
appeared  to  give  him  secret  satisfaction.  If  the  truth  were 


100  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

known,  something  lay  heavily  on  his  mind  ;  and,  with  one 
of  his  strong  impulses,  his  ieelings  disposed  him  to  rush 
from  one  extreme  to  the  other,  as  is  often  the  case,  with  men 
who  are  controlled  by  such  masters  ;  more  especially,  if  their 
general  disposition  is  to  the  right. 

"  You  're  wrong,  this  time,  my  dear  Cuffe,"  he  said  ;  "  for 
'sans,'  means  'without,'  in  French,  and  'culottes,'  means 
'breeches.'  Think  of  naming  a  three-decker,  the  '  Without 
Breeches !'  I  do  not  see  how  any  respectable  flag-officer 
can  mention  such  names,  in  his  despatches,  without  a  feeling 
of  awkwardness,  that  must  come  near  to  capsizing  all  his 
philosophy.  The  line  was  formed  by  the  Republic's  ship, 
the  '  That  '11  Do,'  leading,  supported  by  the  '  Without 

Breeches,'  as  her  second  astern  ! — Ha  !  Cuffe — D e,  sir, 

if  I  'd  serve  in  a  marine,  that  had  such  names  to  the  ships  ! 
It 's  a  thousand  times  worse,  than  all  those  saints,  the  Span 
iards  tack  on  to  their  vessels — like  a  line  of  boats,  towing  a 
ship  up  to  her  moorings  !" 

Here  the  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  appearance 
of  a  midshipman,  who  came  down  to  say  that  a  man  and  a 
woman,  from  the  shore,  wished  to  see  the  rear-adrniral,  on 
pressing  business. 

"  Let  them  come  down,  sir,"  answered  Nelson  ;  "  I  've  a 
hard  life  of  it,  Cuffe  ;  there  is  not  a  washerwoman,  or  a  shop 
keeper,  in  Naples,  who  docs  not  treat  me  exactly  as  if  I 
were  a  podesta,  and  it  were  my  duty  to  hear  all  the  con 
tentions  about  lost  clothes,  and  mislaid  goods.  His  Majesty 
must  appoint  a  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  the  Steerage,  to  admin 
ister  the  law,  for  the  benefit  of  the  young  gentlemen,  or  he'll 
soon  get  no  officer  to  serve,  with  a  flag  at  his  mast-head." 

"  Surely,  my  lord,  the  captains  can  take  this  weight  off 
your  shoulders !" 

"  Ay,  there  are  men,  in  the  fleet,  that  can,  and  there  are 
men  who  do;  but  there  are  men  who  do  not.  But.  here 
comes  the  plaintiff.,  I  suppose — you  shall  hear  the  case,  and 
act  as  a  puisne  judge,  in  the  matter." 

This  was  said  as  the  cabin-door  opened,  and  the  expected 
gur-sts  entered.  They  were,  a  man  turned  of  fifty,  and  a 
girl  of  nineteen.  The  former  was  a  person  of  plain  exterior, 
abstracted  air,  and  downcast  look  ;  but  the  latter  had  all 
the  expression,  beauty,  nature,  and  grace  of  mien,  that  so 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  197 

singularly  marked  the  deportment  and  countenance  of  Ghita 
Caraccioii.  In  a  word,  the  two  visiters  were  Carlo  Giunto- 
tardi,  and  his  gentle  niece.  Nelson  was  struck  with  the 
modesty  of  mien  and  loveliness  of  the  latter,  and  he  courte 
ously  invited  her  to  be  seated,  though  he  and  Cuffe  both 
continued  standing.  A  few  efforts  at  making  himself  under 
stood,  however,  soon  satisfied  this  renowned  admiral  that  he 
had  need  of  an  interpreter,  his  guests  speaking  no  English, 
and  his  own  Italian  being  too  imperfect  to  carry  on  anything 
like  a  connected  conversation.  He  hesitated  an  instant,  and 
then  went  to  the  door  of  the  inner  cabin,  an  apartment  in 
which  voices  had  occasionally  been  heard,  the  whole  time, 
one  of  the  speakers  being  evidently  a  female.  .Here  he  stood, 
leaning  against  the  bulkhead,  as  if  in  doubt;  and  then  he 
uttered  his  wishes. 

"  I  must  ask  a  service  of  you,  which  I  would  not  think  of 
doing  in  any  ordinary  case,"  he  said,  with  a  gentleness  of 
voice  and  manner  that  showed  he  addressed  one  who  had 
habitual  influence  over  him.  "  I  want  an  interpreter, 
between  myself  and  the  second  handsomest  woman  in  the 
kingdom  of  Naples ;  and  I  know  no  one  so  fit  for  the  office, 
as  the  first," 

"  With  all  my  heart,  dear  Nelson,"  answered  a  full,  rich, 
female  voice  from  within.  "  Sir  William  is  busied  in  his 
antiquities ;  and  I  was  really  getting  to  be  ennuieed,  for  want 
of  an  occupation.  I  suppose  you  have  the  wrongs  of  some 
injured  lady  to  redress,  in  your  capacity  of  Lord  High  Chan 
cel  lor  of  the  Fleet." 

"  I  am  yet  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  the  complaint ;  but  it 
is  not  unlikely  it  will  turn  out  to  be  something  like  thai 
which  you  suspect.  Even  in  such  a  case,  no  better  inter 
cessor  can  be  required,  than  one  who  is  so  much  superior  to 
the  frailties  and  weaknesses  of  her  sex,  in  general." 

The  lady  who  now  made  her  appearance  from  the  inner 
cabin,  though  strikingly  handsome,  had  not  that  in  her 
appearance  which  would  justify  the  implied  eulogium  of  the 
British  admiral's  last  speech.  There  was  an  appearance  of 
art  and  worldiiness,  in  the  expression  of  her  countenance, 
that  was  only  so  much  the  more  striking,  when  placed  in 
obvious  contrast  to  the  ingenuous  nature  and  calm  purity 
hat  shone  in  every  lineament  of  the  face  of  Gh  ta.  One 
17* 


198  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

might  very  well  have  passed  for  an  image  of  the  goddess 
Circe ;  while  the  other  would  have  made  no  bad  model  for 
a  vestal,  could  the  latter  have  borne  the  moral  impression 
of  the  sublime  and  heart-searching  truths  that  are  inculcated 
by  the  real  oracles  of  God.  Then  the  lady  was  a  woman 
in  the  meridian  of  her  charms,  aided  by  all  the  cunning  of 
the  toilet,  and  a  taste  that  was  piquant  and  peculiar,  if  not 
pure;  while  the  other  stood  in  her  simple,  dark  Neapolitan 
boddice,  and  a  head  that  had  no  other  ornament  than  its  own 
silken  tresses;  a  style  of  dress,  however,  that  set  off  her 
faultless  form,  and  winning  countenance,  more  than  could 
have  been  done  by  any  of  the  devices  of  the  mantua-maker 
or  the  milliner.  The  lady  betrayed  a  little  surprise,  and, 
perhaps,  a  shade  of  uneasiness,  as  her  glance  first  fell  on 
Ghita;  but,  much  too  good  an  actress  to  be  disconcerted 
easily,  she  smiled,  and  immediately  recovered  her  ease. 

"Is  this  the  being,  Nelson,  who  comes  with  such  a  peti 
tion?"  she  demanded,  with  a  touch  of  natural,  womanly 
sensibility,  in  her  voice ; — "  and  that  poor  old  man,  I  dare 
say,  is  the  heart-stricken  father." 

"  As  to  the  errand,  you  will  remember,  1  know  nothing, 
as  yet;  and  pledge  myself  to  nothing." 

"  Captain  CufFe,  I  hope  I  have  the  pleasure  to  see  you 
well. — Sir  William  joins  the  admiral,  in  hoping  you  will 
make  one  of  our  little  family  party  to-day,  at  dinner,  and — " 

"  And  what  says  the  mistress — not  of  the  house,  but  of 
the  ship  ?"  put  in  Nelson,  whose  eyes  had  scarce  turned  an 
instant  from  the  face  of  the  siren,  since  she  entered  the 
fore-cabin. 

"That  she  —  always  disclaiming  the  title,  honourable 
though  it  be — that  she  unites  with  all  the  rest,  in  inviting 
Captain  CufTe  to  honour  us  with  his  company.  Nelson  tells 
me  you  were  one  of  his  old  Agamemnons,  as  he  calls  you 
all,  aged  and  young,  men  and  boys,  little  and  big;  and  I 
love  even  the  sound  of  the  name.  What  a  glorious  title  for 
a  ship — Agamemnon ! — A  Greek,  led  on  by  a  true  English 
heart !" 

"  Ay,  it  is  somewhat  better  than  « That  '11  Do,'  and  the 
other  affair,  Ha  !  Cuffe  !"  returned  the  admiral,  smiling,  and 
glancing  at  his  subordinate — "  But,  all  this  time,  we  are 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  19 

ignorant  of  the  errand  of  this  honest-looking  Italian,  and  his 
exceedingly  innocent-looking  companion." 

"  Well,  then,  in  this  matter,  gentlemen,  I  am  only  10  ta 
regarded  as  a  mere  mouth-piece,"  put  in  the  lady — "  an 
echo,  to  repeat  what  reaches  my  ear,  though  it  be  an  Irish 
echo,  which  repeats  in  a  different  tongue  from  that  in  which 
the  sounds  first  reach  it.  Put  your  questions,  my  lord  ;  they 
shall  be  faithfully  rendered,  with  all  the  answers  that  may 
be  given.  I  only  hope  Captain  Cuffe  will  come  out  of  this 
affair,  as  innocent  as  he  now  looks." 

The  two  gentlemen  smiled ;  but  the  trifling  could  not  dis 
turb  its  subject,  as  he  was  profoundly  ignorant  of  the  exist 
ence  of  the  two  strangers,  five  minutes  before ;  while  the 
boldness  of  the  allusions,  rather  suited  the  freedom  of  a  ship, 
and  the  habits  of  the  part  of  the  world  in  which  they  happened 
to  be. 

*'  We  will  first  inquire  the  name  of  this  worthy  man,  if 
you  will  condescend  to  ask  it,"  observed  Nelson,  to  his  fair 
friend. 

"  Carlo  Giuntotardi,  noble  lady— once  a  poor  scholar,  in 
Napoli,  here,  and  now  a  keeper  of  the  prince's  watch-towers, 
on  the  heights  of  Argentaro,"  was  the  quiet,  but  respectful 
answer  of  the  man,  who,  like  his  niece,  had  declined  taking 
a  seat,  a  circumstance  that  left  the  whole  party  standing ; 
"  Carlo  Giuntotardi,  illustrious  lady." 

"  A  very  good  name,  Signore,  and  one  of  which  you  have 
no  need  to  be  ashamed.  And  thine?"  turning  to  the  girl. 

"  Ghita  Caraccioli,  Eccellenza ;  the  sister's  daughter  of 
this  honest  tower-keeper  of  the  prince." 

Had  a  bomb  exploded  over  the  Foudroyant,  Nelson  cer 
tainly  would  not  have  been  as  much  startled ;  while  the 
lady's  beautiful  face  assumed  a  look  of  dark  resentment,  not 
unmingled  with  fear.  Even  Cuffe  understood  enough  of  the 
sounds  to  catch  the  name,  and  he  advanced  a  step,  with 
lively  curiosity,  and  an  anxious  concern  expressed  on  his 
ruddy  face.  But  these  emotions  soon  subsided,  the  lady 
first  regaining  her  self-possession,  though  Nelson  paced  the 
cabin  five  or  six-times,  working  the  stump  of  his  arm,  before 
he  even  looked  up,  again. 

"  I  was  about  to  ask  if  there  never  is  to  be  an  end  of  these 
annoyances,"  observed  the  lady,  in  English ;  "  but  there  must 


200  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

be  some  mistake  in  this.  The  house  of  Caraccioli  is  one  of  the 
most  illustrious  of  Italy,  and  can  scarcely  have  any  of  this 
class,  who  feel  an  interest  in  him  of  whom  we  are  thinking. 
I  will,  therefore,  inquire  further  into  this  matter.  Signorina," 
— changing  the  language  to  Italian,  and  speaking  with  se 
verity,  like  one  who  questioned  what  she-  heard — "  Carac- 
cioli  is  a  noble  name ;  and  is  not  often  borne  by  the  daughter 
of  any  prince's  tower-keepers  !" 

Ghita  trembled,  and  she  looked  abashed.  But  she  was 
sustained  by  too  high  a  principle,  and  was  too  innocent, 
herself,  to  stand  long  rebuked,  in  the  presence  of  guilt;  and, 
as  the  flush,  which  resembled  that  which  so  often  passes  over 
her  native  skies,  at  even,  left  her  countenance,  she  raised 
her  eyes  to  the  dark-looking  face  of  the  lady,  and  gave  her 
answer. 

"  I  know  what  your  Eccellenza  means,"  she  said,  "  and 
feel  its  justice.  Still,  it  is  cruel  to  the  child,  not  to  bear  the 
name  of  her  parent.  My  father  was  called  Caraccioli;  and 
he  left  me  his  name  as  my  sole  inheritance.  What  may 
have  been  his  right  to  it,  let  my  uncle  say." 

"  Speak,  then,  Signer  Giuritotardi.  First,  give  us  the 
history  of  this  name ;  then  tell  us  what  has  brought  you 
here." 

"  Noble  lady,  my  sister,  as  pious  and  innocent  a  woman 
as  ever  lived  in  Italy,  and  now,  blessed  in  heaven,  married 
Don  Francesco  Caraccioli,  the  son  of  Don  Francesco  of  that 
illustrious  family,  who  now  stands  condemned  to  death,  for 
having  led  the  fleet  against  the  king ;  and  Ghita,  here,  is 
the  only  fruit  of  the  union.  It  is  true,  that  the  church  did 
not  authorize  the  connection  which  brought  my  niece's 
father  into  being;  but  the  noble  admiral  never  hesitated  to 
acknowledge  his  son,  and  he  gave  him  his  name,  until  love 
bound  him  in  wedlock  with  a  poor  scholar's  sister.  Then, 
indeed,  his  father  turned  his  face  from  him ;  and  death  soon 
removed  both  husband  and  wife  from  the  reacR  of  all  earthly 
displeasure.  This  is  our  simple  story,  noble  and  illustrious 
signora ;  and  the  reason  why  my  poor  niece,  here,  bears  a 
name  as  great  as  that  of  Caraccioli." 

"  You  mean  us  to  understand,  Signer  Giuntotardi,  that 
your  niece  is  the  grand-daughter  of  Don  Francesco  Carac 
cioli,  through  a  natural  son  of  that  unfortunate  admiral  ?" 


I,  E     FEU-FOLLET.  20) 

"  Such  is  the  fact,  Signora.  As  my  sister  was  honestly 
married,  I  could  do  no  less  than  bring  up  her  daughter  to 
bear  a  name  that  her  father  was  permitted  to  bear  before 
her." 

"  Such  things  are  common ;  and  require  no  apology. 
One  question  more,  before  I  explain  to  the  English  admiral 
what  you  have  said. — Does  Prince  Caraccioli  know  of  the 
existence  of  this  grand-daughter?" 

"  Eccellenza,  I  fear  not.  Her  parents  died  so  soon — 1 
loved  the  child  so  well — and  there  was  so  little  hope  that  one 
illustrious  as  he,  would  wish  to  acknowledge  a  connection 
through  the  holy  church,  with  persons  humble  as  we,  that  I 
have  np.ver  done  more  to  make  my  niece  known,  than  to  let 
her  bear  the  same  name  as  her  father." 

The  lady  seemed  relieved,  by  this  ;"  and  she  now  briefly 
explained  to  Nelson,  the  substance  of  what  the  other  had 
said. 

"  It  may  be,"  she  added,  "  they  are  here  on  that  errand, 
concerning  which  we  have,  already,  heard  so  much,  and  so 
uselessly ;  but  I  rather  think  not,  from  this  account ;  for 
what  interest  can  they  feel  in  one  who  is  absolutely  a 
stranger  to  them.  It  may  be  some  idle  conceit,  however, 
connected  with  this  same  affair.  What  is  your  wish,  Ghita? 
— This  is  Don  Horatio  Nelsoni,  the  illustrious  English  ad 
miral,  of  whom  you  have  heard  so  much." 

"  Eccellenza.  I  am  sure  of  it,"  answered  Ghita,  earnestly ; 
"  my  good  uncle,  here,  has  told  you  who  we  are ;  and  you 
may  well  guess  our  business.  We  came  from  St.  Agata,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  bay,  only  this  morning,  and  heard  from 
a  relation  in  the  town,  that  Don  Francesco  had  been  seized, 
that  very  hour.  Since,  we  are  told,  that  he  has  been  con 
demned  to  die,  for  treason  against  the  king;  and  that,  by 
officers  who  met  in  this  very  ship.  Some  even  say,  signora 
that  he  is  to  meet  his  fate  ere  the  sun  set !" 

"  If  this  should  be  so,  what  reason  is  it  that  thou  shoulds* 
give  thyself  concern?" 

"  Eccellenza,  he  was  my  father's  father ;  and  though  I 
never  saw  him,  I  know  that  the  same  blood  runs  in  our 
veins.  WThen  this  is  so,  there  should  be  the  same  feelings 
in  our  hearts." 

"  This  is  well,  Ghita   i-n  appearance,  at  least ;  but  thou 


202  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

canst  hardly  feel  much  for  one  thou  never  saw'st,  and  who 
has  even  refused  to  own  thee  for  a  child.  Thou  art  young, 
too,  and  of  a  sex  that  should  ever  be  cautious  ;  it  is  unwiso 
for  men,  even,  to  meddle  with  politics,  in  these  troubled 
timos." 

"  Signora,  it  is  not  politics  that  brings  me  here,  but  nature, 
and  duty,  and  pious  love  for  my  father's  father." 

"  What  wouldst  thou  say,  then?"  answered  the  lady,  im? 
patiently ;  "  remember,  thou  occupiest  one  whose  time  is 
precious,  and  of  high  importance  to  entire  nations." 

"  Eccellenza,  I  believe  it ;  and  will  try  to  be  brief.  I  wish 
to  beg  my  grandfather's  life,  of  this  illustrious  stranger. 
They  tell  me,  the  king  will  refuse  him  nothing ;  and  he  hag 
only  to  ask  it  of  Don  Ferdinando,  to  obtain  it." 

Many  would  have  thought  the  matured  charms  of  the 
lady  superior  to  the  innocent-looking  beauty  of  the  girl ;  but 
no  one  could  have  come  to  such  an  opinion,  who  saw  them 
both,  at  that  moment.  While  Ghita's  face  was  radiant  with 
a  holy  hope,  and  the  pious  earnestness  which  urged  her  on, 
a  dark  expression  lowered  about  the  countenance  of  the 
English  beauty,  that  deprived  it  of  one  of  its  greatest  attrac 
tions,  by  depriving  it  of  the  softness  and  gentleness  of  her 
sex.  Had  there  not  been  observers  of  what  passed,  it  is 
probable  the  girl  would  have  been  abruptly  repulsed ;  but 
management  formed  no  small  part  of  the  character  of  this 
woman ;  and  she  controlled  her  feelings,  in  order  to  effect 
her  purposes. 

"  This  admiral  is  not  a  Neapolitan,  but  an  Englishman," 
she  answered  ;  "  and  can  have  no  concern  with  the  justice 
of  your  king.  He  would  scarcely  think  it  decent,  to  inter 
fere  with  the  execution  of  the  laws  of  Naples." 

"  Signora,  it  is  always  decent  to  interfere  to  save  life ; 
nay,  it  is  more — it  is  merciful,  in  the  eyes  of  God." 

"  What  canst  thou  know  of  this !  A  conceit  that  thou 
nast  the  blood  of  the  Caraccioli,  has  made  thee  forget  thy 
sex  and  condition,  and  placed  a  romantic  notion  of  duty 
before  thine  eyes." 

"  No,  signora,  it  is  not  so.  For  eighteen  years  have  I 
been  taught  that  the  unfortunate  admiral  was  my  grand 
father  ;  but,  as  it  has  been  his  pleasure  to  wish  not  to  see 
me,  never  have  I  felt  the  desire  to  intrude  on  his  time 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  203 

Before  this  morning,  never  has  the  thought  that  I  have  the 
blood  of  the  Caraccioli,  crossed  my  mind  ;  unless  it  was  to 
mourn  for  the  sin  of  my  grandmother ;  and  even  now,  it  has 
come  to  cause  me  to  mourn  for  the  cruel  fate  that  threatens 
the  days  of  her  partner  in  guilt." 

"  Thou  art  bold,  to  speak  thus  of  thy  parents,  girl ;  and 
they,  too,  of  the  noble  and  great  1" 

This  was  said  with  a  flushed  brow,  and  still  more  lowering 
look;  for,  haply,  there  were  incidents  in  the  past  life  of  that 
lady,  which  made  the  simple  language  of  a  severe  morality, 
alike  offensive  to  her  ears  and  her  recollections. 

"  It  is  not  I,  Eccellenza,  but  God,  that  speaketh  thus. 
The  crime,  too,  is  another  reason  why  this  great  admiral 
should  use  his  influence  to  save  a  sinner  from  so  hurried  an 
end.  Death  is  terrible,  to  all,  but  to  those  who  trust,  with 
heart  and  soul,  to  the  mediation  of  the  Son  of  God ;  but 
it  is  doubly  so,  when  it  comes  suddenly,  and  unlocked  for. 
It  is  true,  Don  Francesco  is  aged ;  but  have  you  not  re 
marked,  signora,  that  it  is  these  very  aged  who  become 
hardened  to  their  state,  and  live  on,  as  if  never  to  die? — I 
mean  those  aged,  who  suffer  youth  to  pass,  as  if  the  pleasures 
of  life  are  never  to  have  an  end." 

"  Thou  art  too  young  to  set  up  for  a  reformer  of  the 
world,  girl ;  and  forgettest  that  this  is  the  ship  of  one  of  the 
greatest  officers  of  Europe,  and  that  he  has  many  demands 
on  his  time.  Thou  canst  now  go  ;  I  will  repeat  what  thou 
hast  said." 

"  I  have  another  request  to  ask,  Eccellenza — permission 
to  see  Don  Francesco  ;  that  I  may,  at  least,  receive  his  bless 
ing." 

"  He  is  not  in  this  ship.  Thou  wilt  find  him  on  board  the 
Minerva  frigate ;  no  doubt,  he  will  not  be  denied.  Stop — 
these  few  lines  will  aid  thy  request.  Addio,  signorica." 

"  And  may  I  carry  hope  with  me,  Eccellenza  1 — Think 
how  sweet  life  is  to  those  who  have  passed  their  days,  so 
long,  in  affluence  and  honour.  It  would  be  like  a  messenger 
from  heaven,  for  a  grandchild  to  bring  but  a  ray  of  hope." 

"  I  authorize  none.  The  matter  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
Neapolitan  authorities  ;  and  we  English  cannot  meddle.  Go, 
now,  both  of  you — the  illustrious  admiral  has  business  of 
importance,  that  presses." 


204  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

Ghita  turned,  and  slowly  and  sorrowfully  she  left  the 
cabin.  At  its  very  door,  she  met  the  English  lieutenant, 
who  was  in  charge  of  the  unhappy  prisoner,  coming  with  a 
last  request  that  he  might  not  be  suspended  like  a  thief,  but 
might,  at  least,  die  the  death  of  a  soldier.  It  would  exceed 
the  limits  set  to  our  tale,  were  we  to  dwell  on  the  conver 
sation  which  ensued  ;  but  every  intelligent  reader  knows, 
that  the  application  failed. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

**  Like  other  tyrants,  Death  delights  to  smite 
What  smitten  most  proclaims  the  pride  of  power. 
And  arbitrary  nod." 

YOUNG. 

IT  is  probable  that  Nelson  never  knew,  precisely,  what 
passed  between  Ghita  and  the  lady  mentioned  in  the  last 
Chapter.  At  all  events,  like  every  other  application  that 
was  made  to  the  English  admiral,  in  connection  with  this  sad 
affair,  that  of  Ghita  produced  no  results.  Even  the  mode  of 
execution  was  unchanged ;  an  indecent  haste  accompanying 
the  whole  transaction ;  as  in  the  equally  celebrated  trial  and 
death  of  the  unfortunate  Due  d'Enghien.  Cuffe  remained  to 
dine  with  the  commander  in  chief,  while  Carlo  Giuntotardt 
and  his  niece  got  into  their  boat,  and  took  their  way,  through 
the  crowded  roadstead,  towards  the  Neapolitan  frigate,  that 
now  formed  the  prison  of  the  unfortunate  Caraccioli. 

A  request,  at  the  gangway,  was  all  that  was  necessary,  to 
procure  an  admission  on  board  the  ship.  As  soon  as  the 
Signor  Giuntotardi  reached  the  quarter-deck,  he  let  his 
errand  be  known,  and  a  messenger  was  sent  below,  to  ascer 
tain  if  the  prisoner  would  see  two  visiters ;  the  name  of  the 
uncle  being  alone  given.  Francesco  Caraccioli,  of  the 
Princes  Caraccioli,  or,  as  he  was  more  commonly  called,  in 
English,  Prince  Caraccioli,  was  now  a  man  approaching 
seventy  ;  and  being  a  member  of  one  of  the  most  illustrious 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  205 

houses  of  Lower  Italy,  he  had  long  been  trusted  in  employ 
ments  of  high  dignity  and  command.  On  his  offence — its 
apology — the  indecent  haste  of  his  trial  and  execution,  and 
the  irregularity  of  the  whole  proceedings,  it  is  now  unneces 
sary  to  dwell ;  they  have  all  passed  into  history,  and  are 
familiarly  known  to  the  world.  That  very  morning  had  he 
been  seized,  and  sent  on  board  the  Foudroyant; —  in  the 
cabin  of  that  vessel  had  a  court  of  his  own  countrymen  con 
vened  ;  and  there  had  he  been  hastily  condemned  to  death. 
The  hour  of  doom  was  near ;  and  he  was  already  in  the 
ship  where  the  execution  was  to  take  place. 

The  messenger  of  Carlo  Giuntotardi  found  this  unfortu 
nate  man  with  his  confessor ;  by  whom  he  had  just  been 
shrived.  He  heard  the  request  with  cold  indifference,  but 
granted  it  on  the  instant,  under  the  impression  that  it  came 
from  some  dependent  of  his  family,  or  estates,  who  had  a 
last  favour  to  ask,  or  an  act  of  justice  to  see  performed. 

"  Remain  here,  father,  I  beseech  you,"  said  the  prisoner, 
perceiving  that  the  priest  was  about  to  retire ;  "  it  is  some 
contadino,  or  some  tradesman,  whose  claims  have  been  over 
looked.  I  am  happy  that  he  has  come ;  for  one  would  wish 
to  stand  acquitted  of  injustice,  before  he  dies.  Let  them 
come  in,  my  friend." 

A  sign  was  given,  with  these  words,  the  door  of  the  cabin 
was  opened,  and  Ghita,  with  her  uncle,  entered.  A  pause 
of  quite  a  minute  followed,  during  which  the  parties  regarded 
each  other  in  silence  ;  the  prisoner  endeavouring,  in  vain,  to 
recall  the  countenances  of  his  guests,  and  the  girl  trembling, 
equally  with  grief  and  apprehension.  Then  the  last  ad 
vanced  to  the  feet  of  the  condemned  man,  knelt,  bowed 
her  head,  and  said — 

"  Grandfather,  your  blessing,  on  the  child  of  your  only 
son." 

"  Grandfather ! — Son ! — and  his  child  !"  repeated  Don 
Francesco.  "  I  had  a  son,  to  my  shame  and  contrition  be 
it  now  confessed  ;  but  he  has  long  been  dead.  I  never  knew 
that  he  left  a  child." 

"  This  is  his  daughter,  Signore,"  replied  Carlo  Giunto 
tardi  ;  "  her  mother  was  my  sister.  You  thought  us,  then, 
too  humble  to  be  received  into  so  illustrious  a  connection  ; 
18 


206  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

ind  we  have  never  wished  to  bring  ourselves  before  your 
eyes,  until  we  thought  our  presence  might  be  welcome." 

*'  And  thou  comest  now,  good  man,  to  claim  affinity  with 
a  condemned  criminal !" 

"Not  so,  grandfather,"  answered  a  meek  voice,  at  his 
feet ;  "  it  is  your  son's  daughter,  that  craves  a  blessing  from 
her  dying  parent.  The  boon  shall  be  well  requited,  in 
prayers  for  your  soul." 

"  Holy  father  !  I  deserve  not  this  !  Here  has  this  tender 
plant  lived,  neglected  in  the  shade,  until  it  raises  its  timid 
head  to  offer  its  fragrance  in  the  hour  of  death  !  I  deserve 
not  this !" 

"  Son,  if  heaven  offered  no  mercies,  until  they  are  merited, 
hopeless,  truly,  would  be  the  lot  of  man.  But  we  must  not 
admit  illusions,  at  such  a  moment.  Thou  art  not  a  husband, 
Don  Francesco  ;  hadst  thou  ever  a  son  ?" 

"  That,  among  other  sins,  have  I  long  since  confessed ; 
and,  as  it  has  been  deeply  repented  of,  I  trust  it  is  forgiven. 
I  had  a  son — a  youth  who  bore  my  name,  even ;  though  he 
never  dwelt  in  my  palace  ;  until  a  hasty  and  indiscreet  mar 
riage,  banished  him  from  my  presence.  I  ever  intended 
to  pardon  him,  and  to  make  provision  for  his  wants ;  but 
death  came  too  soon,  to  both  husband  and  wife,  to  grant  the 
time.  This  much  I  did  know ;  and  it  grieved  me  that  it 
was  so  ;  but,  of  his  child,  never,  before  this  instant,  have  I 
heard !  'T  is  a  sweet  countenance,  father ;  it  seems  the  very 
abode  of  truth!" 

"  Why  should  we  deceive  you,  grandfather,"  rejoined 
Ghita,  stretching  h?r  arms  upward,  as  if  yearning  for  an 
embrace  ;  "  most  of  all,  at  a  time  like  this  1  We  come  not 
for  honours,  or  riches,  or  your  great  name ;  we  come  simply 
to  crave  a  blessing,  and  to  let  you  know  that  a  child  of  your 
own  blood  will  be  left  on  earth,  to  thy  aves,  in  behalf  of 
your  soul !" 

"  Holy  priest,  there  can  be  no  deception,  here ! — This 
dear  child  even  looks  like  her  wronged  grandmother ;  and 
my  heart  tells  me  she  is  mine.  I  know  not  whether  to  con* 
sider  this  discovery  a  good  or  an  evil,  at  this  late  hour; 
coming,  as  it  does,  to  a  dying  man !" 

"  Grandfather,  your  blessing.  Bless  Ghita,  once,  that  I 
may  hear  the  sound  of  a  parent's  benediction." 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  207 

"  Bless  thee  ! — bless  thee,  daughter  !"  exclaimed  the  ad 
miral,  bending  over  the  weeping  girl,  to  do  the  act  she 
solicited,  and  then,  raising  her  to  his  arms,  and  embracing 
her  tenderly  ;  "  this  must  be  my  child — I  feel  that  she  is  no 
other." 

"  Eccellenza,"  said  Carlo,  "  she  is  the  daughter  of  your 
son,  Don  Francesco,  and  of  my  sister,  Ghita  Giuntotardi, 
born  in  lawful  wedlock.  I  would  not  deceive  any — least  of 
all,  a  dying  man." 

"  I  have  no  estates  to  bequeath — no  honours  to  transmit — 
no  name  to  boast  of.  Better  the  offspring  of  the  lazzaroni, 
than  a  child  of  Francesco  Caraccioli,  at  this  moment." 

"  Grandfather,  we  think  not  of  this — care  not.  for  this.  I 
have  come  only  to  ask  the  blessing  you  have  bestowed,  and 
to  offer  the  prayers  of  believers,  though  we  are  so  lowly. 
More  than  this  we  ask  not — wish  not — seek  not.  Our 
poverty  is  familiar  to  us,  and  we  heed  it  not.  Riches  would 
but  distress  us,  and  we  care  not  for  them." 

"  I  remember,  holy  father,  that  one  great  reason  of  dis 
pleasure  at  my  son's  marriage,  was  distrust  of  the  motive  of 
the  family  which  received  him  ;  and  yet,  here,  have  these 
honest  people  suffered  me  to  live  on  unmolested  in  prosperity, 
while  they  now  first  claim  the  affinity,  in  my  disgrace  and 
ignominy  !  I  have  not  been  accustomed  to  meet  with  wishes 
and  hearts  like  these !" 

"  You  did  not  know  us,  grandfather,"  said  Ghita,  simply, 
her  face  nearly  buried  in  the  old  man's  bosom.  "  We  have 
long  prayed  for  you,  and  reverenced  you,  and  thought  of 
you  as  a  parent,  whose  face  was  turned  from  us  in  anger ; 
but  we  never  sought  your  gold  and  honours." 

"  Gold  and  honours  !"  repeated  the  admiral,  gently  placing 
nis  grand-daughter  in  a  chair.  "  These  are  tilings  of  the  past, 
for  me.  My  estates  are  sequestered — my  name  disgraced  ; 
and,  an  hour  hence,  I  shall  have  suffered  an  ignominious 
death.  No  selfish  views  can  have  brought  these  good 
people,  father,  to  claim  affinity  with  me,  at  a  moment  like 
this." 

"  It  comes  from  the  goodness  of  God,  son.  By  letting 
you  feel  the  consolation  of  this  filial  love,  and  by  awakening 
in  your  own  bosom  the  spark  of  parental  affection,  he  fore 
shadows  the  fruits  of  his  own  mercy  and  tenderness,  to  the 


208  LE     PEU-FOLLET.     • 

erring  but  penitent.  Acknowledge  his  bounty,  in  your  soul, 
it  may  bring  a  blessing  on  your  last  moment." 

"  Holy  priest,  I  hope  I  do. — But  what  says  this  .' — " 

Don  Francesco  took  a  note  from  the  hand  of  a  servant, 
and  read  its  contents  eagerly ;  the  world,  and  its  feelings, 
having  too  much  hold  on  his  heart,  to  be  plucked  cut  in  an 
instant.  Indeed,  so  sudden  had  been  his  arrest,  trial  and 
conviction,  that  it  is  not  surprising  the  priest  found  in  him  a 
divided  spirit,  even  at  an  instant  like  that.  His  countenance 
fell ;  and  he  passed  a  hand  before  his  eyes,  as  if  to  conceal  a 
weakness  that  was  unbecoming. 

"  They  have  denied  my  request,  father,"  he  said ;  **  and 
I  must  die  like  a  felon — " 

"The  Son  of  God  suffered  on  the  cross,  suspended  be 
tween  two  thieves." 

"  I  believe  there  is  far  less,  in  these  opinions,  than  we  are 
accustomed  to  think — yet  it  is  cruel  for  one  who  has  filled 
so  high  employments — a  prince — a  Caraccioli,  to  die  like  a 
lazzarone !" 

"  Grandfather — " 

"  Did  you  speak,  child  ?  I  wonder  not  that  this  indignity 
should  fill  thee  with  horror." 

"  It  is  not  that,  grandfather."  resumed  Ghita,  shaking  off 
her  doubts,  and  looking  up  with  flushed  cheeks,  and  a  face 
radiant  with  holy  feelings — "  Oh  !  it  is  not  that.  If  my 
life  could  save  thine,  gladly  would  I  give  it  up  for  such  a 
purpose  ;  but,  do  not — do  not — at  this  awful  moment,  mis 
take  the  shadow  for  the  substance.  What  matters  it  how 
death  is  met,  when  it  opens  the  gates  of  heaven  ?  Pain,  I 
am  sure,  you  cannot  fear ; — even  I,  weak  and  feeble  girl 
that  I  am,  can  despise  that ; — what  other  honour  can  there 
be,  in  the  hour  of  death,  than  to  be  thought  worthy  of  the 
mercy  and  care  of  God  ?  Caraccioli  or  lazzarone — prince 
or  beggar — it  will  matter  not,  two  hours  hence ;  and  let  me 
reverently  beg  of  you,  to  humble  your  thoughts  to  the  level 
which  becomes  all  sinners." 

"  Thou  say'st  thou  art  my  grand-child,  Ghita — the  daugh 
ter  of  my  son  Francesco  ?" 

4<  Signore,  I  am,  as  all  tell  me — as  my  heart  tells  me— • 
and  as  I  believe." 

"  And  thou  look'st  upon  these  opinions  as  unworthy — 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  209 

unsuitcd,  if  thou  lik'st  that  better — to  this  solemn  moment, 
find  considerest  the  manner  of  a  death,  as  matter  of  incihTe 
rence,  even  to  a  soldier  ]" 

"  YVhon  placed  in  comparison  with  his  hopes  of  heaven — 
when  viewed  through  his  own  demerits,  and  the  merits  o-f 
his  Saviour,  grandfather." 

"  And  wilt  thou,  then,  just  entering  on  the  stage  of  life, 
with  the  world  before  thee,  and  all  that  its  future  can  offer, 
accompany  me  to  the  scaffold  ;  let  it  be  known  to  the 
mocking  crowd,  that  thou  derivest  thy  being  through  the 
felon,  and  art  not  ashamed  to  own  him  for  a  parent!" 

"  1  will,  grandfather — this  have  I  come  to  do,"  answered 
Ghita,  steadily.  "  But  do  not  ask  me  to  look  upon  thy 
sufferings!  All  that  can  be  done  to  lessen,  by  sharing 
thy  disgrace,  if  disgrace  it  be,  will  I  most  gladly  do;  though 
I  dread  to  see  thy  aged  form  in  pain !" 

"  And  this  wilt  thou  do  for  one  thou  never  beheld'st,  until 
this  hour? — one  thou  canst  hardly  have  been  taught  to  con 
sider  just  to  thyself?" 

"If  I  have  never  seen  thee  before  this  visit,  grandfather, 
I  have  loved  thee,  and  prayed  for  thee,  from  infancy.  My 
excellent  uncle  early  taught  me  this  lesson  in  duty;  but  he 
never  taught  me  to  hate  thee,  or  any  one.  My  own  father 
is  taken  away ;  and  that  which  he  would  have  been  to  thee, 
this  day,  will  I  endeavour  to  be  for  him.  The  world  is 
nought  to  me ;  and  it  will  console  thee  to  think  that  one  is 
near,  whose  heart  weeps  for  thee,  and  whose  soul  is  lost  in 
prayers,  for  thy  eternal  pardon." 

"  And  this  being,  father,  is  made  known  to  me,  an  hour 
before  I  die !  God  punishes  me  sufficiently  for  the  wrong 
I  *ve  done  her,  in  letting  me  thus  know  her  worth,  when  it 
is  loo  late  to  profit  by  it.  No,  Ghita — blessed  child,  such  a 
sacrifice  shall  not  be  asked  of  thee.  Take  this  cross — it 
was  my  mother's;  worn  on  her  bosom,  and  has  long  been 
worn  on  mine — keep  it  as  a  memorial  of  thy  unhappy  pa 
rent,  and  pray  for  me ;  but,  quit  this  terrible  ship,  and  do 
not  grieve  thy  gentle  spirit  with  a  scene  that  is  so  unfit  for 
thy  sex  and  years.  Bless  thee  —  bless  thee,  my  child. 
Would  to  heaven  I  had  earlier  known  thee — but  even  this 
glimpse  of  thy  worth,  has  lightened  my  heart.  Thou  find'st 
me,  here,  a  poor  condemned  criminal ;  unable  to  provide  for 
18* 


210  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

thy  future  wants — nay,  I  can  yet  do  a  little  for  thee,  too. 
This  bag  contains  gold.  It  has  been  sent  to  me  by  a  rela 
tive,  thinking  it  might  be  of  service,  in  averting  the  punish 
ment  that  awaits  me.  For  that  purpose,  it  is  now  useless  j 
with  thy  simple  habits,  however,  it  will  render  thy  life  easy, 
and  above  care." 

Ghita,  with  streaming  eyes,  steadily  put  aside  the  gold, 
though  she  pressed  the  cross  to  her  bosom,  kissing  it  fervently, 
again  and  again. 

"  Not  that — not  that,  grandfather,"  she  said  ;  "  I  want  it 
not — wish  it  not.  This  is  enough  ;  and  this  will  I  keep  to 
my  own  last  moment.  I  will  quit  the  ship,  too  ;  but  not  the 
place.  I  see  many  boats  collecting,  and  mine  shall  be  among 
them ;  my  prayers  shall  go  up  to  God  for  thee,  now  thou 
art  living ;  and,  daily,  after  thou  art  dead.  There  needs  no 
gold,  grandfather,  to  purchase  a  daughter's  prayers." 

Don  Francesco  regarded  the  zealous  and  lovely  girl  with 
intense  feeling ;  then  he  folded  her  to  his  heart,  once  more, 
blessing  her  audibly,  again  and  again.  While  thus  employed, 
the  Foudroyant's  bell  struck  once,  and  then  those  of  all  the 
surrounding  ships,  English  and  Neapolitan,  repealed  the 
stroke.  This,  Caraccioli,  a  seaman  himself,  well  knew 
denoted  that  the  time  was  half-past  four ;  five  being  the  hour 
named  for  his  execution.  He  felt  it  necessary,  therefore, 
to  dismiss  his  new-found  relative,  that  he  might  pass  a  few 
more  minutes  alone  with  his  confessor.  The  parting  was 
solemn,  but  tender;  and  as  Ghita  left  the  cabin,  her  con 
demned  grandfather  felt,  as  he  would,  had  he  taken  leave, 
for  ever,  of  one  whom  he  had  long  loved,  and  whose  virtues 
had  been  a  solace  to  him  from  the  hour  of  his  birth. 

The  deck  of  the  Minerva  presented  a  sorrowful  scene. 
Although  the  prisoner  had  been  condemned  by  a  court  of 
Neapolitan  officers,  the  trial  was  had  under  the  British 
ensign  ;  and  the  feeling  of"  the  public  was  with  the  prisoner. 
There  existed  no  necessity  for  the  hurry  in  which  everything 
had  been  done ;  for  no  immediate  danger  pressed  ;  and  an 
example  would  have  been  more  impressive,  had  there  been 
less  of  the  appearance  of  a  desire  for  personal  vengeance, 
and  more  of  the  calm  deliberation  of  justice,  in  the  affair 
Ghita's  connexion  with  the  prisoner  could  not  be  even  sus 
pected  ;  but,  as  it  was  known  that  she  had  been  in  the  cabin, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  211 

and  believed  that  she  felt  an  interest  in  the  condemned,  the 
officers  manifested  an  interest  in  her  wishes,  and  too  evident 
emotions.  An  immense  throng  of  boats  had  assembled 
around  the  ship ;  for,  hasty  as  had  been  the  proceedings,  the 
tidings  that  Francesco  Caraccioli  was  to  be  hanged  for 
treason,  spread  like  wild-fire ;  and  scarce  a  craft,  of  proper 
size,  was  left  within  the  mole,  so  eager  was  the  desire  to 
witness  that  which  was  to  occur.  Either  in  the  confusion, 
or  bribed  by  money,  the  man  who  had  brought  off  Carlo 
Giunlotardi  and  his  niece,  was  no  longer  to  be  found  ;  and 
the  means  of  quitting  the  ship  seemed,  momentarily,  to  be 
lost. 

"  Here  is  a  boat,  close  to  our  gangway,"  said  the  officer 
of  the  deck,  who  had  kindly  interested  himself  in  behalf  of 
so  interesting  a  girl,  "  with  a  single  man  in  it ;  a  few  grani 
would  induce  him  to  put  you  ashore." 

The  fellow  in  the  boat  was  of  the  class  of  the  lazzaroni, 
wearing  a  clean  cotton  shirt,  a  Phrygian  cap,  and  cotton 
trowsers,  that  terminated  at  the  knees  ;  leaving  his  muscular 
arms  and  legs  entirely  bare  ;  models  for  the  statuary,  in  their 
neatness,  vigour  and  proportions.  The  feet,  alone,  formed 
an  exception  to  the  ordinary  attire,  for  they  were  cased  in  a 
pair  of  quaint  canvass  shoes,  that  were  ornamented  a  little 
like  the  moccasins  of  the  American  Indian.  Carlo  caught 
the  eye  of  this  man,  who  appeared  to  be  eagerly  watching 
the  frigate's  gangway,  for  a  fare,  and,  holding  up  a  small 
piece  of  silver,  in  a  moment  the  light  boat  was  at  the  foot 
of  the  accommodation-ladder.  Ghita  now  descended  ;  and, 
as  soon  as  her  uncle  and  she  were  seated,  the  skiff,  for  it 
was  little  more,  whirled  away  from  the  ship's  side,  though 
two  or  three  more,  who  had  also  been  left  by  recreant  boat 
men,  for  better  fares,  called  out  to  him  to  receive  them,  also. 

"  We  had  best  go  alone,  even  though  it  cost  us  a  heavier 
price,"  quietly  observed  Carlo,  to  his  niece,  as  he  noted  this 
occurrence.  "  Pull  us  a  short  distance  from  the  ship,  friend; 
— here,  where  there  are  fewer  boats ;  and  thou  shall  meet 
with  a  fair  reward.  We  have  an  interest  in  this  solemn 
scene,  and  could  wish  not  to  be  observed." 

"  1  know  that  well,  Signer  Carlo,"  answered  the  boat 
man  ;  "  and  will  see  that  you  are  not  molested." 

Ghita  uttered  a  faint  exclamation,  and,  looking  up,  nrst 


212  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

saw  that  the  feigned  lazzarone  was  no  other  than  Raou. 
Yvard.  As  her  uncle  was  too  unobservant,  in  general,  to 
detect  his  disguise,  he  made  a  sign  for  her  to  command  her 
self,  and  continued  rowing,  as  if  nothing  had  occurred. 

"  Be -at  ease,  Ghita,1'  said  Carlo :  "  it  is  not  yet  the  time, 
and  we  have  twenty  good  minutes,  for  our  aves." 

Ghita,  however,  was  far  from  being  at  ease.  She  felt  all 
the  risks  that  the  young  man  now  ran,  and  she  felt  that  it 
was  on  her  account,  solely,  that  he  incurred  them.  Even 
the  solemn  feeling  of  the  hour,  and  the  occasion,  was  dis 
turbed  by  his  presence ;  and  she  wished  he  were  away,  on 
more  accounts  than  one.  Here  he  was,  nevertheless,  and  in 
the  midst  of  enemies;  and  it  would  not  have  been  in  nature, 
for  one  of  her  years  and  sex,  and,  most  of  all,  of  her  feelings, 
not  to  indulge  in  a  sentiment  of  tender  gratitude  towards 
him,  who  had,  as  it  were,  thrust  his  head  into  the  very  lion's 
mouth,  to  do  her  a  service.  Between  Kabul  and  Ghita,  there 
had  been  no  reserves,  on  the  subject  of  parentage ;  and  the 
former  understood  why  his  mistress  was  here,  as  well  as  the 
motive  that  brought  her.  As  for  the  last,  she  glanced  timidly 
around  her,  fearful  that  the  lugger,  too,  had  been  brought 
into  the  throng  of  ships  that  crowded  the  anchorage.  For 
this,  however,  Raoul  was  much  too  wary,  nothing  resembling 
his  little  craft  being  visible. 

The  reader  will  have  understood  that  many  vessels  of  war, 
English,  Russian,  Turkish  and  Neapolitan,  were  now  an 
chored  in  the  -bay.  As  the  French  still  held  the  Castle  of 
St.  Elmo,  or  the  citadel  that  crowns  the  heights,  that,  in  their 
turn,  crown  the  town,  the  shipping  did  not  lay  quite  as  close 
to  the  mole  as  usual,  lest  a  shot  from  the  enemy  above  might 
do  them  injury;  but  they  were  sufficiently  near  to  permit  all 
the  idle  and  curious  of  Naples,  who  had  the  hearts  and  the 
means,  to  pull  off  and  become  spectators  of  the  sad  scene 
that  was  about  to  occur.  As  the  hour  drew  near,  boat  after 
boat  arrived,  until  the  Minerva  was  surrounded  with  specta 
tors,  many  of  whom  belonged  even  to  the  higher  classes  of 
society.  * 

The  distance  between  the  Neapolitan  frigate,  and  the  ship 
of  the  English  rear-admiral,  was  not  great;  and  everything 
that  occurred  on  board  the  former,  and  which  was  not  actu 
ally  hidden  by  the  sides  and  bulwarks  of  the  vessel  itself. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  213 

was  easily  to  be  seen  from  the  decks  of  the  latter.  Still,  the 
Foudroyant  lay  a  little  without  the  circle  of  boats ;  and  in 
that  direction  Raoul  had  pulled,  to  avoid  the  throng,  resting 
on  his  oars,  when  about  a  third  of  a  cable's-length  from  the 
British  admiral's  stern.  Here  it  was  determined  to  wait  for 
the  awful  signal,  and  its  fatal  consequences.  The  brief 
interval  was  passed,  by  Ghita,  in  telling  her  beads,  while 
Carlo  joined  in  the  prayers,  with  the  devotion  of  a  zealot.  It 
is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  all  this  Raoul  witnessed 
without  faith,  though  it  would  be  doing  injustice  to  his  na 
ture,  as  well  as  to  his  love  for  Ghita,  to  say  he  did  so  with 
out  sympathy. 

A  solemn  and  expecting  silence  reigned  in  all  the  neigh 
bouring  ships.  The  afternoon  was  calm  and  sultry,  the 
zephyr  ceasing  to  blow,  earlier  than  common,  as  if  unwilling 
to  disturb  the  melancholy  scene,  even  with  its  murmurs.  On 
board  the  Minerva,  no  sign  of  life- — scarcely  of  death — was 
seen  ;  though  a  single  whip  was  visible,  rigged  to  the  fore- 
yard-arm,  one  end  being  led  in-board,  while-  the  other  ran 
along  the  yard,  passed  through  a  leading-block,  in  its  quarter, 
and  descended  to  the  deck.  There  was  a  platform  fitted,  on 
two  of  the  guns,  beneath  this  expressive,  but  simple  arrange 
ment;  but,  as  it  was  in-board,  it  was  necessarily  concealed 
from  all  but  those  who  were  on  the  Minerva's  decks.  With 
these  preparations  Raoul  was  familiar,  and  his  under 
standing  eye  saw  the  particular  rope  that  was  so  soon  to 
deprive  Ghita  of  her  grandfather;  though  it  was  lost  to  her 
and  her  uncle,  among  the  maze  of  rigging  by  which  it  was 
surrounded. 

There  might  have  been  ten  minutes  passed,  in  this  solemn 
stillness,  during  which  the  crowd  of  boats  continued  to  col 
lect  ;  and  the  crews  of  the  different  ships  were  permitted  to 
take  such  positions,  as  enabled  them  to  become  spectators 
of  a  scene  that  it  was  hoped  might  prove  admonitory.  It  is 
part  of  the  etiquette  of  a  vessel  of  war  to  make  her  people, 
keep  close ;  it  being  deemed  one  sign  of  a  well-ordered  ship, 
to  let  as  few  men  be  seen  as  possible,  except  on  those  occa 
sions  when  duty  requires  them  to  show  themselves.  This 
rigid  rule,  however,  was  momentarily  lost  sight  of,  and  the 
toeming  masses  that  floated  around  La  Minerva,  gave  up 
their  thousands,  like  bees  clustering  about  their  hives.  It 


214  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

was  in  the  midst  of  such  signs  of  expectation,  that  the  call 
of  the  boatswain  was  heard  piping  the  side,  on  board  thr 
Foudroyant,  and  four  side-boys  lay  over  on  the  accommo 
dation-ladder,  a  mark  of  honour  never  paid  to  one  of  a  rank 
less  than  that  of  a  captain.  Raoul's  boat  was  within  fifty 
yards  of  that  very  gangway,  and  he  turned  his  head  in  idle 
curiosity,  to  see  who  might  descend  into  the  gig  that  was 
lying  at  the  foot  of  the  long  flight  of  steps.  A  stranger,  with 
two  epaulettes,  came  first,  showing  the  way  to  two  civilians, 
and  a  sea-lieutenant ;  when  all  descended  in  a  line,  and 
entered  the  boat.  The  next  instant,  the  oars  fell,  and  the 
gig  whirled  round  under  the  Foudroyant's  stern,  and  came 
glancing  up  towards  his  own  skiff.  Four  or  five  cf  the 
strong  man-of-war  jerks,  sufficed  to  send  the  long,  narrow 
boat  as  far  as  was  desired,  when  the  men  ceased  rowing, 
their  little  craft  losing  her  way  within  ten  feet  of  the  skiff 
occupied  by  our  party.  Then  it  was  that  Raoul,  to  his 
surprise,  discovered  that  the  two  civilians  were  no  other  than 
Andrea  Barrofaldi,  and  Vito  Viti,  who  had  accompanied 
Cuffe  and  Griffin,  their  companions  in  the  gig,  on  a  cruise ; 
of  which  the  express  object  was  to  capture  himself  and  his 
vessel. 

Another  man  would  have  been  alarmed,  at  finding  himself 
in  such  close  vicinity  to  his  enemies  ;  but  Raoul  Yvard  was 
amused,  rather  than  rendered  uneasy,  by  the  circumstance. 
He  had  faith  in  his  disguise;  and  he  was  much  too  familiar 
with  incidents  of  this  sort,  not  to  retain  his  self-command 
and  composure.  Of  course,  he  knew  nothing  of  the  persons 
of  the  two  Englishmen;  but,  perfectly  aware  of  the  presence 
of  the  Proserpine,  he  guessed  at  their  identity,  and  very 
correctly  imagined  the  circumstances  that  brought  compa 
nions,  so  ill-assorted,  together.  He  had  taken  no  precau 
tions  to  disguise  his  face;  and  the  red  Phrygian  cap  which 
he  wore,  in  common  with  thousands  on  that  bay,  left  every 
,  feature  and  lineament  fully  exposed.  With  Ghita,  however, 
the  case  was  different.  She  was  far  belter  known  to  the 
two  El  bans,  as  indeed  was  the  person  of  her  uncle,  than  he 
was  himself ;  but  both  had  veiled  their  faces  in  prayer. 

"  I  do  not  half  like  this  business,  Griffin,"  observed  the 
captain,  as  his  gig  entirely  lost  its  way  ;  "  and  wish,  with  all 
tiny  heart,  we  had  nothing  to  do  with  it.  I  knew  this  old 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  215 

Caraccioli ;  and  a  very  good  sort  of  man  he  was ;  and,  as  to 
treason,  it  is  not  easy  to  say  who  is,  and  who  is  not  a  traitor, 
in  times  like  these,  in  such  a  nation  as  this. — Ha  I — I  believe 
my  soul,  this  is  the  same  old  man,  and  the  same  pretty  girl, 
that  came  to  see  Nelson,  half-an-hour  ago,  about  this  very 
execution  ?" 

"  What  could  they  have  to  do  with  Prince  Caraccioli,  or 
his  treason,  sir? — The  old  chap  looks  bookish  ;  but  he  is  not 
a  priast ;  and,  as  to  the  girl,  she  is  trim-built  enough  ;  I  fancy 
the  face  is  no  great  matter,  however,  or  she  would  not  take 
so  much  pains  to  hide  it." 

Raoul  muttered  a  "  sacr-r-re,"  between  his  teeth,  but  he 
succeeded  in  suppressing  all  outward  expression  of  feeling. 
Cuffe,  on  the  contrary,  saw  no  other  motive  for  unusual  dis 
cretion,  beyond  the  presence  of  his  boat's  crew,  before  whom, 
however,  he  was  accustomed  to  less  reserve,  than  with  his 
people  in  general. 

"  If  she  be  the  same  as  the  one  we  had  in  the  cabin,"  he 
answered,  "  there  is  no  necessity  for  a  veil ;  for  a  prettier 
or  a  more  modest-looking  girl,  is  not  often  fallen  in  with. 
What  she  wanted,  exactly,  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  as 
she  spoke  Italian,  altogether;  and  'miladi'  had  the  interview 
pretty  much  to  herself.  But  her  good  looks  seem  to  have 
taken  with  this  old  bachelor,  the  justice  of  the  peace,  who 
eyes  her  as  if  he  had  an  inclination  to  open  his  mind  to  the 
beauty.  Ask  him,  in  Italian,  Griffin,  what  mare's  nest  he 
has  run  foul  of,  now." 

"  You  seem  to  have  found  something  to  look  at,  beside  the 
Minerva,  Signer  Podcsta,"  observed  Griffin,  in  an  under 
tone  ;  "  I  hope  it  is  not  Venus." 

"  Cospetto !"  grunted  Vito  Viti,  nudging  his  neighbour, 
the  vice-governatore,  and  nodding  towards  the  other  boat; 
"  if  that  be  not  little  Ghita,  who  came  into  our  island  like  a 
comet,  and  went  out  of  it — to  what  shall  I  liken  her  sudden 
and  extraordinary  disappearance,  Signor  Andrea? — " 

"To  that  of  le  Feu-Follet,  or  ze  Ving-y-Ving,"  put  in 
Griffin  ;  who,  now  he  had  got  the  two  functionaries  fairly 
afloat,  spared  none  of  the  jokes  that  come  so  easy  and  natural 
to  a  man-of-war's  man.  "  She  went  out,  too,  in  an  '  extra 
ordinary  disappearance,'  and  perhaps  the  lady  and  the  lugger 
went  out  together." 


216  LE    PEU-FOLLET. 

Vito  Viti  muttered  an  answer;  for,  by  this  time,  he  had 
discovered  that  he  was  a  very  different  personage,  on  board 
the  Proserpine,  from  what  the  other  had  appeared  to  consider 
him,  while  in  his  native  island.  He  might  have  expressed 
himself  aloud,  indeed;  but,  at  that  instant,  a  column  of 
smoke  glanced  out  of  the  bow  part  of  the  Minerva — a  yellow 
flag  was  shown  aloft — and  then  came  the  report  of  the  signal- 
gun. 

It  has  been  said  that  vessels  of  war,  of  four  different 
nations,  were,  at  that  time,  lying  in  the  Bay  of  Naples. 
Nelson  had  come  in,  but  a  short  time  previously,  with  seven 
teen  ships  of  the  line;  and  he  found  several  more,  of  his 
countrymen  lying  there.  This  large  force  had  been  assem 
bled  to  repel  an  expected  attack  on  the  Island  of  Minorca ; 
and  it  was  still  kept  together  in  an  uncertainty  of  the  future 
movements  of  the  enemy.  A  Russian  force  had  come  out 
of  the  Black  Sea,  to  act  against  the  French,  bringing  with 
it  a  squadron  of  the  Grand  Signor ;  thus  presenting  to  the 
world  the  singular  spectacle  of  the  followers  of  Luther,  devo 
tees  of  the  Greek  church,  and  disciples  of  Mahomet,  uniting 
in  defence  of  "  our  rights,  our  firesides,  and  our  altars !" 
To  these  vessels  must  be  added  a  small  squadron  of  ships 
)f  the  country  ;  making  a  mixed  force  of  four  different 
ensigns,  that  was  to  witness  the  melancholy  scene  we  are 
about  to  relate. 

The  yellow  flag,  and  the  signal-gun,  brought  everything, 
in  the  shape  of  duty,  to  a  stand-still,  in  all  the  fleets.  The 
hoarse  commands  ceased — the  boatswains,  and  their  mates, 
laid  aside  their  calls.,  and  the  echoing  midshipmen  no  longer 
found  orders  to  repeat.  The  seamen  gathered  to  the  sides 
cf  *heir  respective  vessels — every  part  glistened  with  expec 
tant  eyes — the  booms  resembled  clusters  of  bees,  suspended 
from  the  boughs  of  a  forest — and  the  knight-heads,  taffrails 
gangways,  and  stretchers  of  the  rigging,  were  garnished  with 
fhose  whose  bright  buttons,  glazed  hats,  epaulettes,  and 
dark-blue  dresses,  denoted  to  belong  to  the  privileged  classes 
of  a  ship.  Notwithstanding  all  this  curiosity,  nothing  like 
the  feeling  which  is  apt  to  be  manifested,  at  an  exhibition  of 
merited  punishment,  was  visible  in  a  single  countenance. 
An  expression  resembling  a  sombre  gloom,  appeared  to  have 
settled  on  all  those  grim  warriors  of  the  deep  ;  English, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  217 

Russian,  Neapolitan  or  Turk,  apparently  reserving  all  his 
sympathies  for  the  sufferer,  rather  than  for  the  majesty  of 
justice.  Still,  no  murmur  arose — no  sign  of  resistance  was 
made — no  look  of  remonstrance  given.  The  unseen  mantle 
of  authority  covered  all ;  and  these  masses  of  discontented 
men  submitted,  as  we  bow  to  what  is  believed  to  be  the  fiat 
of  fate.  The  deep-seated  and  unresisting  habit  of  discipline, 
suppressed  complaint ;  but  there  was  a  general  conviction 
that  some  act  was  about  to  be  committed,  that,  it  were  better 
for  humanity  and  justice,  should  not  be  done;  or,  if  done  at 
all,  that  it  needed  more  of  form,  greater  deliberation,  and  a 
fairer  trial,  to  be  so  done  as  to  obtain  the  commendation  of 
men.  The  Turks,  alone,  showed  apathy ;  though  all  showed 
submission.  These  subjects  of  destiny  looked  on  coldly ; 
though  even  among  them,  a  low  rumour  had  passed,  that  a 
malign  influence  prevailed  in  the  fleet ;  and  that  a  great  and 
proud  spirit  had  gotten  to  be  mastered  by  the  passion  that  so 
often  deprives  heroes  of  their  self-command  and  indepen 
dence. 

Ghita  ceased  her  prayers,  as  the  report  of  the  gun  broke 
rudely  on  her  ears,  and,  with  streaming  eyes,  she  even 
dared  to  look  towards  the  frigate.  Raoul,  and  all  the  rest, 
bent  their  gaze  in  the  same  direction.  The  sailors,  among 
them,  saw  the  rope  at  the  fore-yard-arm  move,  and  then 
heads  rose  slowly  above  the  hammock-cloths  ;  when  the  pri- 
Borier  and  his  attendant  priest  were  visible  even  to  their  feet. 
The  unfortunate  Caraccioli,  as  has  been  said,  had  nearly 
numbered  his  threescore  and  ten  years,  in  the  regular  course 
of  nature;  and  his  bare  head  now  showed  the  traces  of 
time.  He  wore  no  coat ;  and  his  arms  were  bound  behind 
his  back,  at  the  elbows,  leaving  just  motion  enough  to  the 
hands,  to  aid  him  in  the  slighter  offices  about  his  own  person. 
His  neck  was  bare,  and  the  fatal  cord  was  tightened  suffi 
ciently  around  it,  to  prevent  accidents,  constantly  admonish 
ing  its  victim  of  its  revolting  office. 

A  low  murmur  arose  among  the  people  in  the  boats,  as 
this  spectacle  presented  itself  to  their  eyes  ;  and  many  bowed 
their  faces  in  prayer.  The  condemned  man  caught  a  ray 
of  consolation  from  this  expression  of  sympathy ;  and  he 
looked  around  him,  an  instant,  with  something  like  a  return 
of  those  feelings  of  the  world,  which  it  had  been  his  effort 
19 


218  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

and  his  desire  totally  to  eradicate,  since  he  had  taken  leave 
of  Ghita,  and  learned  that  his  last  request  —  that  of 
changing  his  mode  of  punishment — had  been  denied.  That 
was  a  fearful  moment,  for  one  like  Don  Francesco  Carac- 
cioli,  who  had  passed  a  long  life  in  the  midst  of  the  "scene 
that  surrounded  him — illustrious  by  birth,  affluent,  honoured 
for  his  services,  and  accustomed  to  respect  and  deference. 
Never  had  the  glorious  panorama  of  the  bay,  appeared  more 
lovely  than  it  did  at  that  instant,  when  he  was  about  to  quit 
it  for  ever,  and  this  by  means  of  a  violent  and  disgraceful 
death.  From  the  purple  mountains — the  cerulean  void  above 
him — the  blue  waters  over  which  he  seemed  already  to  be 
suspended — and  the  basking  shores,  rich  in  their  towns, 
villas  and  vines,  his  eye  turned  toward  the  world  of  ships, 
each  alive  with  its  masses  of  living  men.  A  glance  of 
melancholy  reproach  was  cast  upon  the  little  flag  that  was 
just  waving  at  the  mizzen-mast-head  of  the  Foudroyant; 
and  then  it  fell  on  the  carpet  of  faces  beneath,  that  seemed 
fairly  to  change  the  surface  of  the  smooth  sea,  into  an  arena 
of  human  countenances.  His  look  was  steady,  though  his 
soul  was  in  a  tumult.  Ghita  was  recognized  by  her  com 
panion,  and  by  her  dress.  He  moved  towards  the  edge  of 
his  narrow  scaffolding,  endeavoured  to  stretch  forth  his  arms, 
and  blessed  her,  again,  aloud.  The  poor  girl  dropped  on 
her  knees,  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  bowed  her  head,  and  in 
that  humble  attitude  did  she  remain,  until  all  was  over ;  not 
daring  once  to  look  upward,  again. 

"  Son,"  said  the  priest,  "this  is  a  moment  when  the  earth, 
and  its  feelings,  must  be  forgotten." 

"  I  know  it,  father,"  answered  the  old  man,  his  voice 
trembling  with  emotion,  for  his  sensations  were  too  powerful, 
too  sublime,  even,  for  the  degrading  passion  of  fear — "  but 
never  before  did  this  fair  piece  of  the  creation  seem  so  lovely 
in  my  eyes,  as  now,  when  I  am  about  to  quit  it  for  the  last 
time." 

"  Look  beyond  this  scene,  into  the  long  vista  of  eternity, 
son ;  there  thou  wilt  behold  that,  which  mocks  at  all  human, 
all  earthly  means,  to  equal.  I  fear  that  our  time  is  but 
short — hast  thou  aught  yet  to  say,  in  the  flesh  ?" 

"  Let  it  be  known,  holy  priest,  that  in  my  dying  moment 
I  prayed  for  Nelson,  and  for  all  who  have  been  active  iu 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  219 

bringing  me  to  this  end.  It  is  easy  for  the  fortunate,  and  the 
untemptcd,  to  condemn ;  but  he  is  wiser,  as  he  is  safer,  who 
puts  more  reliance  on  the  goodness  of  God,  than  on  his  own 
merits." 

A  ray  of  satisfaction  gleamed  athwart  the  pale  countenance 
of  the  priest — a  sincerely  pious  man,  or  fear  of  personal 
consequences  might  have  kept  aloof  from  such  a  scene — 
and  he  closed  his  eyes,  while  he  expressed  his  gratitude  to 
God,  in  the  secret  recesses  of  his  own  spirit.  Then  he 
turned  to  the  prince,  and  spoke  cheeringly. 

"  Son,"  he  said,  "  if  thou  quittest  life  with  a  due  depend 
ence  on  the  Son  of  God,  and  in  this  temper  towards  thy 
fellow-creatures,  of  ail  this  living  throng,  thou  art  he  who  is 
most  to  be  envied  !  Address  thy  soul  in  prayer,  once  more, 
to  Him,  whom  thou  feelest  can  alone  serve  thee." 

Caraccioli,  aided  by  the  priest,  knelt  on  the  scaffold ;  for 
the  rope  hung  loose  enough  to  permit  that  act  of  humiliation, 
and  the  other  bent  at  his  side. 

"  I  wish  to  God,  Nelson  had  nothing  to  do  with  this !" 
muttered  Cuffe,  as  he  turned  away  his  face,  inadvertently 
bending  his  eyes  on  the  Foudroyant,  nearly  under  the  stern 
of  which  ship,  his  gig  lay.  There,  in  the  stern- walk,  stood 
the  lady,  already  mentioned  in  this  Chapter,  a  keen  specta 
tor  of  the  awful  scene.  No  one,  but  a  maid,  was  near  her, 
however,  the  men  of  her  companionship  not  being  of  moods 
stern  enough  to  be  at  her  side.  Cuffe  turned  away  from 
this  sight,  in  still  stronger  disgust ;  and  just  at  that  moment, 
a  common  cry  arose  from  the  boats.  Looking  round,  he 
was  just  in  time  to  see  the  unfortunate  Caraccioli  dragged 
from  his  kne^,  by  the  neck,  until  he  rose,  by  a  steady,  man- 
of-war  pull,  to  the  end  of  the  yard ;  leaving  his  companion 
alone  on  the  scaffold,  still  lost  in  prayer.  There  was  a 
horrible  minute,  of  the  struggles  between  life  and  death, 
when  the  body,  so  late  the  tenement  of  an  immortal  spirit, 
hung,  like  one  of  the  jewel-blocks  of  the  ship,  dangling  pas 
sively  at  the  end  of  the  spar,  as  insensible  as  the  wood  which 
sustained  it. 


220  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


M  Sleep,  sleep,  thou  sad  one,  on  the  sea ! 
The  wash  of  waters  lulls  thee,  now ; 
His  arm  no  more  will  pillow  thee, 
Thy  hand  upon  his  brow. 
He  is  not  near,  to  hurt  thee,  or  to  save  : 
The  ground  is  his  —  the  sea  must   be  thy  grave." 

DANA. 

A.  LONG  summer's  evening  did  the  body  of  Francesco 
C>  raccioli  hang  suspended  at  the  yard-arm  of  the  Minerva ; 
a  revolting  spectacle  to  his  countrymen,  and  to  most  of  the' 
sti angers  who  had  been  the  witnesses  of  his  end.  Then  was 
it  lowered  into  a  boat,  its  feet  loaded  with  double-headed 
shot,  and  it  was  carried  out  a  league,  or  more,  into  the  bay, 
and  cast  into  the  sea.  The  revolting  manner  in  which  it 
rose  to  the  surface,  and  confronted  its  destroyers,  a  fortnight 
later,  has  passed  into  history ;  and,  to  this  day,  forms  one 
of  the  marvels  related  by  the  ignorant  and  wonder-loving  of 
that  region.*  As  for  Ghita,  she  disappeared,  no  one  knew 
how  ;  Vito  Viti,  and  his  companions,  being  too  much  absorbed 
with  the  scene,  to  note  the  tender  and  considerate  manner  in 
which  Raoul  rowed  her  off  from  a  spectacle  that  could  but 
be  replete  with  horrors,  to  one  so  situated.  Cuffe,  himself, 
stood  but  a  few  minutes  longer ;  but  he  directed  his  boat's 
crew  to  pull  alongside  of  the  Proserpine.  In  half-an-hour 
after  the  execution  took  place,  this  frigate  was  aweigh ;  and 
then  she  was  seen  standing  out  of  the  bay,  before  a  light  air, 

*  Singular  as  was  this  occurrence,  and  painful  as  it  must  have 
proved  to  the  parties  to  the  execution,  it  is  one  of  the  simplest  conse- 
quences  of  natural  causes.  All  animal  matter  swells,  in  water,  pre 
viously  to  turning  corrupt.  A  body  that  has  become  of  twice  its 
natural  size,  in  this  manner,  as  a  matter  of  course,  displaces  twice  the 
usual  quantity  of  water;  the  weight  of  the  mass  remaining  the  same. 
Most  human  frames  floating,  in  their  natural  state,  so  long  as  the 
lungs  are  inflated  with  air,  it  follows  that  one  in  this  condition  would 
bring  up  with  it,  as  much  weight,  in  iron,  as  made  the  difference  be. 
tween  its  own  gravity,  and  that  of  the  water  it  displaced.  The  upright 
attitude  of  Caraccioli,  was  owing  to  the  shot  attached  to  the  feet ;  of 
which,  it  is  also  probable,  one  or  two  had  become  loosened 


LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

covered  with  canvass,  from  her  truck  to  her  hammock- 
cloths.  Leaving  her,  for  the  moment,  we  will  return  to  the 
party  in  the  skiff. 

Neither  Carlo  Giuntotardi,  nor  Ghita  Caraccioli — for  so 
we  must  continue  to  call  the  girl,  albeit  the  name  is  much 
too  illustrious  to  be  borne  by  one  of  her  humble  condition  in 
life — but,  neither  of  these  two  had  any  other  design,  in  thus 
seeking  out  the  unfortunate  admiral,  than  to  perform  what 
each  believed  to  be  a  duty.  As  soon  as  the  fate  of  Carac 
cioli  was  decided,  both  were  willing  to  return  to  their  old 
position  in  life;  not  that  they  felt  ashamed  to  avow  their 
connection  with  the  dead ;  but  because  they  were  quite  de 
void  of  any  of  that  worldly  ambition,  which  renders  rank 
and  fortune  necessary  to  happiness. 

When  he  left  the  crowd  of  boats,  Raoul  pulled  towards 
the  rocks  which  bound  the  shores  of  the  bay,  near  the  gar 
dens  of  Portici.  This  was  a  point  sufficiently  removed  from 
the  common  anchorage,  to  be  safe  from  observation ;  and 
yet  so  near,  as  to  be  reached  in  considerably  less  than  an 
hour.  As  the  light  boat  proceeded,  Ghita  gradually  regained 
her  composure.  She  dried  her  eyes,  and  looked  around  her 
inquiringly,  as  if  wondering  whither  their  companion  was 
taking  them. 

"  I  will  not  ask  you,  Raoul,  why  you  are  here,  at  a  mo 
ment  like  this,  and  whence  you  have  come,"  she  said  ;  "  but 
I  may  ask  whither  you  are  now  carrying  us  ?  Our  home 
is  at  St.  Agata,  on  the  heights  above  Sorrento,  and  on  the 
other  side  of  the  bay.  We  come  there,  annually,  to  pass 
a  month  with  my  mother's  sister ;  who  asks  this  much  of 
our  love." 

"  If  I  did  not  know  all  this,  Ghita,  I  would  not,  and  could 
not  be  here.  I  have  visited  the  cottage  of  your  aunt,  this 
day  ;  followed  you  to  Naples  ;  heard  of  the  admiral's  trial 
and  sentence ;  understood  how  it  would  affect  your  feelings ; 
traced  you  on  board  the  English  admiral's  ship,  and  was  in 
waiting,  as  you  found  me ;  having  first  contrived  to  send 
away  the  man  who  took  you  off.  All  this  has  come  about 
as  naturally,  as  the  feeling  which  has  induced  me  to  venture, 
again,  into  the  lion's  mouth." 

"The  pitcher  that  goes  often  to  the  well,  Raoul,  gets 
broken  at  last,"  said  Ghita,  a  little  reproachfully,  though  it 
19* 


222  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

surpassed  her  power  to  prevent  the  tones  of  tenderness  from 
mingling  with  her  words. 

"  You  know  all,  Ghita.  After  months  of  perseverance, 
and  a  love  such  as  man  seldom  felt  before,  you  deliberately 
and  coldly  refused  to  be  my  wife ; — nay,  you  have  deserted 
Monte  Argentaro,  purposely  to  get  rid  of  my  importunities ; 
for  there  I  could  go  with  the  lugger,  at  any  moment ;  and 
have  come  here,  upon  this  bay,  crowded  with  the  English, 
and  other  enemies  of  France,  fancying  that  I  would  not  dare 
to  venture  hither. — Well,  you  see  with  what  success ;  for 
neither  Nelson,  nor  his  two-deckers,  can  keep  Raoul  Yvard 
from  the  woman  he  loves,  let  him  be  as  victorious  and  skil 
ful  as  he  may  !" 

The  sailor  had  ceased  rowing,  to  give  vent  to  his  feelings 
in  this  speech,  neither  of  the  two  colloquists  regarding  the 
presence  of  Carlo  Giuntotardi,  any  more  than  if  he  had  been 
a  part  of  themselves.  This  indifference  to  the  fact  that  a 
third  person  was  a  listener,  proceeded  from  habit,  the  worthy 
scholar  and  religionist  being  usually  too  abstracted  to  attend 
to  concerns  as  light  as  love,  and  the  youthful  affections. 
Ghita  was  not  surprised,  either  at  the  reproaches  of  her 
suitor,  or  at  his  perseverance ;  and  her  conscience  told  her 
he  uttered  but  the  truth,  in  attributing  to  her  the  motives  he 
had,  in  urging  her  uncle  to  make  their  recent  change  of  resi 
dence  ;  for,  while  a  sense  of  duty  .had  induced  her  to  quit 
the  towers,  her  art  was  not  sufficient  to  suggest  the  expedi 
ency  of  going  to  any  other  abode  than  that  which  she  was 
accustomed  to  inhabit  periodically,  and  about  which  Raoul 
knew,  from  her  own  innocent  narrations,  nearly  as  much  as 
she  knew  herself. 

"I  can  say  no  more  than  I  have  said,  already,"  the 
thoughtful  girl  answered,  after  Raoul  had  begun  again  to 
row.  "  It  is  better,  on  every  account,  that  we  should  part. 
I  cannot  change  my  country ;  nor  can  you  desert  that 
glorious  republic,  of  which  you  feel  so  proud.  I  am  an 
Italian,  and  you  are  French ;  while,  more  than  all,  I  worship 
my  God,  while  you  believe  in  the  new  opinions  of  your  own 
nation.  Here  are  causes  enough  for  separation,  surely, 
however  favourably  and  kindly  we  may  happen  to  think 
of  each  other,  in  general." 

"  Tell  me  not,  any  more,  of  the  heart  of  an  Italian  girl, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

and  of  her  readiness  to  fly  to  the  world's  end,  with  the  man 
of  her  choice  !"  exclaimed  Raoul,  bitterly.  "  I  can  find  a 
thousand  girls,  in  Languedoc,  who  would  make  the  circuit 
of  the  earth,  yearly,  rather  than  be  separated,  a  day,  from 
the  seamen  they  have  chosen  for  their  husbands." 

*'  Then  look  among  the  girls  of  Languedoc,  for  a  wife," 
answered  Ghita,  with  a  smile  so  melancholy  that  it  contra 
dicted  her  words.  "  Better  to  take  one  of  your  own  nation 
and  opinion,  Raoul,  than  risk  your  happiness  with  a  stranger; 
who  might  not  answer  all  your  hopes,  when  you  came  to 
know  her  better." 

"  We  will  not  talk  further  of  this,  now,  dearest  Ghita ; 
my  first  care  must  be  to  carry  you  back  to  the  cottage  of 
your  aunt — unless,  indeed,  you  will  at  once  embark  in  le 
Feu-Follet,  and  return  to  the  towers  ?" 

"  Le  Feu-Follet !  —  she  is  hardly  here,  in  the  midst  of  a 
fleet  of  her  enemies !  —  Remember,  Raoul,  that  your  men 
will  begin  to  complain,  if  you  place  them  too  often  in  such 
risks,  to  gratify  your  own  wishes." 

"Peste!  —  I  keep  them  in  good-humour,  by  rich  prizes. 
They  have  been  successful ;  and  that  which  makes  yonder 
Nelson  popular,  and  a  great  man,  makes  Raoul  Yvard  popu 
lar,  and  a  great  man,  also,  in  his  little  way.  My  crew  is 
like  its  captain — it  loves  adventures,  and  it  loves  success." 

"  I  do  not  see  the  lugger — among  a  hundred  ships,  there 
is  no  sign  of  yours?" 

"  The  Bay  of  Napoli  is  large,  Ghita,"  returned  Raoul, 
laughing ;  "  and  le  Feu-Follet  takes  but  little  room.  See — 
yonder  vaisseaux-de-ligne  appear  trifling  among  these  noblo 
mountains,  and  on  this  wide  gulf;  you  cannot  expect  my 
little  lugger  to  make  much  show.  We  are  small,  Ghita 
mia,  if  not  insignificant !" 

"  Still,  where  there  are  so  many  vigilant  eyes,  there  is 
always  danger,  Raoul !  Besides,  a  lugger  is  an  unusual  rig, 
as  you  have  owned  to  me,  yourself." 

"  Not  here,  among  all  these  eastern  craft.  I  have  always 
found,  if  I  wished  to  be  unnoticed,  it  was  best  to  get  into  a 
crowd ;  whereas,  he  who  lives  in  a  village,  lives  in  open 
day-light.  But  we  will  talk  of  these  things,  when  alone, 
Ghita — yonder  fisherman  is  getting  ready  to  receive  us." 

By  this  time  the  skiff  was  near  the  shore,  where  a  little 


224  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

yawl  was  anchored,  containing  a  solitary  fisherman.  This 
man  was  examining  them,  as  they  approached  ;  and,  recog 
nising  Raoul,  he  was  gathering  in  his  lines,  and  preparing 
to  raise  his  grapnel.  In  a  few  minutes  the  two  craft  lay 
side  by  side ;  and  then,  though  not  without  difficulty,  owing 
to  a  very  elaborate  disguise,  Ghita  recognised  Ithuel  Bolt. 
A  very  few  words  sufficed  to  let  the  American  into  all  that 
it  was  -necessary  he  should  know,  when  the  whole  party 
made  its  arrangements  to  depart.  The  skifTwhich  RaoOl, 
having  found  it  lying  on  the  beach,  had  made  fi^e  with, 
without  leave,  he  anchored,  in  the  full  expectation  that  its 
right  owner  might  find  it,  some  day  or  other ;  while  its  cargo 
was  transferred  to  the  yawl,  which  was  one  of  the  lugger's 
own  attendants.  The  latter  was  a  light,  swift-pulling  little 
boat,  admirably  constructed,  and  fit  to  live  in  a  sea-way ; 
requiring,  moreover,  but  two  good  oars,  one  of  which  Raoul 
undertook  to  pull,  himself,  while  Ithuel  managed  the  other. 
In  five  minutes  after  the  junction  was  made,  the  party  was 
moving  again  from  the  land,  in  a  straight  line  across  the  bay, 
steering  in  the  direction  of  its  southern  cape,  and  proceeding 
with  the  steady,  swift  movement  of  men  accustomed  to  the 
toil. 

There  are  few  portions  of  the  sea  in  which  a  single  ship 
or  boat  is  an  object  of  so  little  notice,  as  the  Bay  of  Naples. 
This  is  true  of  all  times  and  seasons  ;  the  magnificent  scale 
on  which  nature  has  created  her  panorama,  rendering  ordi 
nary  objects  of  comparative  insignificance ;  while  the  con 
stant  movement,  the  fruit  of  a  million  of  souls  thronging 
around  its  teeming  shores,  covers  it,  in  all  directions,  with 
boats,  almost  as  the  streets  of  a  town  are  crowded  with 
pedestrians.  The  present  occasion,  too,  was  one  likely  to 
set  everything  in  motion;  and  Raoul  judged  rightly,  when 
he  thought  himself  less  likely  to  be  observed  in  such  a  scene, 
than  on  a  smaller  and  less-frequented  water.  As  a  matter 
of  course,  while  near  the  mole,  or  the  common  anchorage, 
it  was  necessary  to  pass  amid  a  floating  throng;  but,  once 
beyond  the  limits  of  this  crowd,  the  size  of  the  bay  rendered 
it  quite  easy  to  avoid  unpleasant  collisions,  without  any  ap 
parent  effort ;  while  the  passage  of  a  boat,  in  any  direction, 
was  an  occurrence  too  common  to  awaken  distrust.  One 
would  think  no  more  of  questioning  a  craft  that  was  encoun- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  225 

tered,  even  in  the  centre  of  that  spacious  bay,  than  he  would 
think  of  inquiring  about  the  stranger,  met  in  a  market-place. 
All  thit>  both  Kaoul  and  Ithuel  knew  and  felt ;  and,  once  in 
motion,  in  their  yawl,  they  experienced  a  sense  of  security, 
that,  for  the  four  or  five  previous  hours,  had  not  always 
existed. 

By  this  time,  the  sun  was  low,  though  it  was  possible,  as 
Raoul  perceived,  to  detect  the  speck  that  was  still  swinging 
at  the  Minerva's  fore-yard-arm;  a  circumstance  to  which 
the  young  man,  with  considerate  feeling,  refrained  from 
adverting.  The  Proserpine  had  been  some  time  in  motion, 
standing  out  of  the  fleet  under  a  cloud  of  canvass,  but  with 
an  air  so  light  as  to  permit  the  yawl  to  gain  on  her,  though 
the  heads  of  both  were  turned  in  the  same  direction.  In  this 
manner,  mile  after  mile  was  passed,  untfl  darkness  came. 
Then  the  moon  arose,  rendering  the  bay  less  distinct,  it  is 
true,  but  scarcely  more  mysterious,  or  more  lovely,  than  in 
the  hours  of  stronger  light.  The  gulf,  indeed,  forms  an  ex 
ception,  in  this  particular,  to  the  general  rule,  by  the  extent 
of  its  shores,  the  elevation  of  its  mountains,  the  beauty  of  its 
water — which  has  the  deep  tint  of  the  ocean  off  soundings — 
and  the  softness  of  the  atmosphere ;  lending  to  it,  by  day, 
all  the  mellowed  and  dreamy  charms  that  other  scenes  bor 
row  from  the  illusions  of  night,  and  the  milder  brilliance  of 
the  secondary  planets.  Raoul  did  not  exert  himself,  at  the 
oar ;  and,  as  he  sat  aft,  his  companion  was  obliged  to  take 
the  stroke  from  his  movement.  It  was  so  pleasant  to  have 
Ghita  with  him,  on  his  own  element,  that  he  never  hurried 
himself,  while  in  the  enjoyment  of  her  society.  The  con 
versation,  it  will  readily  be  imagined,  was  not  lively ;  but 
the  saddened  melancholy  of  Ghita's  voice,  as  she  occasion 
ally  hazarded  a  remark  of  her  own,  or  answered  one  of  his 
questions,  sounded  sweeter,  in  his  ears,  than  the  music  of 
the  ships'  bands,  that  was  now  wafted  to  them  across  the 
water. 

As'  the  evening  advanced,  the  land-breeze  increased,  and 
the  Proserpine  gradually  gained  upon  the  boat.  When  the 
latter  was  about  two-thirds  of  the  distance  across  the  bay 
the  frigate  caught  the  stronger  current,  that  came  down 
athwart  the  campagna,  between  Vesuvius  and  the  mountains 
behind  Castel  a  Mare,  when  she  drove  ahead  fast.  Her 


226  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

sails,  as  seamen  express  it,  were  all  asleep ;  or  swelled  out- 
ward,  without  collapsing  ;  and  her  rate  of  sailing  was  between 
five  and  six  miles  in  the  hour.  This  brought  them  up  with 
the  boat,  hand-over-hand, as  it  is  called ;  and  Ghita,  at  Raoul's 
request,  put  the  helm  aside,  in  order  that  they  might  get 
out  of  the  way  of  the  huge  body  that  was  approaching.  It 
would  seem  that  there  was  some  design,  on  the  part  of  the 
ship,  in  coming  so  near,  for  she  made  a  sheer  towards  the 
yawl,  in  a  way  to  frighten  the  timid  helmswoman,  and  to 
induce  her  to  relinquish  her  hold  of  the  tiller. 

"  Fear  nothing,"  called  out  Griffm,  in  Italian — "  we  in 
tend  to  offer  you  a  tow.  Stand  by,  and  catch  the  line — 
Heave—" 

A  small  rrpe  v/as  thrown;  and,  falling  directly  across 
IthuePs  head,  that  person  could  do  no  less  than  seize  it. 
With  all  his  detestation  of  the  English  in  general,  and  of  this 
vessel  in  particular,  the  man-of-all-work  had  the  labour- 
saving  propensity  of  his  countrymen  ;  and  it  struck  him  as 
a  good  thing,  to  make  a  "  king's  ship"  aid  an  enemy's  priva-* 
teer,  by  accepting  the  offer.  As  he  used  the  line  with  proper 
dexterity,  the  yawl  was  soon  towing  on  the  quarter  of  the 
frigate;  Raoul  taking  the  helm,  and  giving  the  boat  the 
sheer  necessary  to  prevent  her  dragging  in,  alongside.  This 
was  a  change  so  sudden,  and  so  totally  unexpected,  that 
Ghita  murmured  her  disapprobation,  lest  it  should  lead  to  a 
discovery  of  the  true  character  of  her  companions. 

"  Fear  nothing,  dearest,"  answered  Raoul,  "  they  cannot 
suspect  us ;  and  we  may  learn  something  useful  by  being 
here.  At  all  events,  le  Feu-Follet  is  safe  from  their  designs, 
just  at  this  moment." 

"  Are  you  boatmen  of  Capri  ?"  called  out  Griffin,  who 
stood  on  the  taffrail  of  the  ship,  with  Cuffe  and  the  two 
Italians  near  by ;  the  first  dictating  the  questions  his  lieu 
tenant  put. 

"  S'nore,  si ;"  answered  Raoul,  adopting  the  patois  of  the 
country,  as  well  as  he  could,  and  disguising  his  deep  mellow 
voice,  by  speaking  on  a  high  shrill  key.  "  Boatmen  of 
Capri,  that  have  been  to  Napoli  with  wine,  and  have  been 
kept  out  later  than  we  intended  by  the  spectacle  at  the  yard- 
arm  of  the  Minerva.  Cospetto  !  them  signori  make  no  more 
of  a  prince,  than  we  do  of  a  quail,  in  the  season,  on  our 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  227 

little  island.  Pardon  me,  dearest  Ghita ;  but  we  must  throw 
dust  into  their  eyes." 

"  Has  any  strange  sail  been  seen  about  your  island, 
within  the  last  twenty-four  hours  ?" 

"  The  bay  is  full  of  strange  sail,  S'nore ;  even  the  Turks 
coming  to  see  us,  since  the  last  trouble  with  the  French." 

"  Ay — but  the  Turks  are  now  your  allies,  like  us  Eng 
lish. — Have  you  seen  any  other  strangers  ?" 

"  They  tell  me,  there  are  ships  from  the  far  north,  too, 
S'nore,  off  the  town.  Russians,  I  believe,  they  call  them.'" 

"  They,  too,  are  allies ;  but,  I  mean,  enemies.  Has  there 
not  been  a  lugger  seen  off  your  island,  within  the  last  day 
or  two — a  lugger  of  the  French  7" 

"Si — si — I  know  what  you  mean,  now,  S'nore;  there 
has  been  a  vessel  like  that  you  mention,  off  the  island  ;  for  I 
saw  her  with  my  own  eyes — si — si.  It  was  about  the 
twenty-third  hour,  last  evening — a  lugger,  and  we  all  said 
she  must  be  French,  by  her  wicked  looks." 

"  Raoul !"  said  Ghita,  as  if  reproaching  him  for  an  indis 
cretion. 

"  This  is  the  true  way  to  befog  them,"  answered  the  young 
man ;  "  they  have  certainly  heard  of  us ;  and  by  seeming 
to  tell  a  little  truth,  frankly,  it  will  give  me  an  opportunity 
of  telling  more  untruth." 

"  Ah,  Raoul,  it  is  a  sad  life,  that  renders  untruths  neces 
sary!" 

"  It  is  the  art  of  war,  dearest ;  without  it,  we  should  soon 
be  outwitted,  by  these  knaves  of  English. — Si — si,  S'nori; 
we  all  said  just  that,  concerning  her  looks  and  rig." 

"  Will  you  sheer  your  boat  alongside,  friend !"  inquired 
Griffin,  "  and  come  on  board  of  us  ?  We  have  a  ducat, 
here,  that  wants  an  owner ;  I  fancy  it  will  fit  your  pocket, 
as  well  as  another's.  We  will  haul  you  ahead,  abreast  of 
the  gangway." 

"  Oh !  Raoul,  do  not  think  of  this  rash  act,"  whispered 
Ghita ;  "  the  vice-governatore,  or  the  podesta,  will  recollect 
you  ;  and  then  all  will  be  lost !" 

"  Fear  nothing,  Ghita — a  good  cause,  and  a  keen  wit, 
will  carry  me  through;  while  the  least  hesitation  might, 
indeed,  ruin  us.  These  English  first  ask,  and  then  taks, 


228  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

without  asking,  if  you  tell  them  no.  Corpo  di  Bacco  !  who 
ever  heard,  either,  of  a  lazzarone's  refusing  a  ducat  !" 

Raoul  then  whispered  a  few  words  to  Ithuel,  when,  tho 
boat  being,  by  this  time,  far  enough  ahead,  he  gave  it  a 
sheer  alongside  of  the  ship,  seized  a  man-rope,  and  went  up 
the  elects  as  actively  as  a  cat.  It  is  certain,  not  a  soul  on 
board  that  fine  frigate  had  the  least  suspicion  of  the  true  cha 
racter  of  the  individual  who  now  confidently  trod  her  quar- 
ter-deck.  The  young  man,  himself,  loved  the  excitement  of 
such  an  adventure,  and  he  felt  the  greater  confidence  in  his 
impunity,  from  the  circumstance  that  there  was  no  other 
light  than  that  of  the  moon.  The  sails,  too,  cast  their  sha 
dows  upon  deck ;  and  then,  neither  of  the  two  Italians  was 
a  wizard,  at  detecting  impostors,  as  he  knew  by  experience. 

The  watch  was  set  for  the  night,  and  Winchester,  who 
had  returned  to  duty,  held  the  trumpet,  while  Griffin  had  no 
other  immediate  office,  but  to  interpret.  Two  or  three  mid 
shipmen  were  lounging  about  the  quarter-deck ;  here  and 
there  a  seaman  was  on  the  look-out,  at  the  halyards,  or  on 
a  cat-head  ;  some  twenty  or  thirty  old  sea-dogs  were  pacing 
the  gangways  or  the  forecastle,  with  their  arms  crossed,  and 
hands  stuck  in  their  jackets ;  and  a  quick-eyed,  active 
quarter-master  stood  near  the  man  at  the  wheel,  conning 
the  ship.  The  remainder  of  the  watch  had  stowed  them 
selves  between  the  guns,  or  among  the  booms,  in  readiness 
to  act,  but,  in  truth,  dozing. "  Cuffe,  Griffin,  and  the  two 
Italians,  descended  from  the  laffrail,  and  awaited  the  ap 
proach  of  the  supposed  lazzarone,  or  boatman  of  Capri,  as  he 
was  now  believed  to  be,  near  the  stern  of  the  vessel.  By  an 
arrangement  among  themselves,  Vito  Vlti  became  the  spokes 
man;  Griffin  translating  to  the  captain,  all  that  passed,  in 
an  under-tone,  as  soon  as  it  was  uttered. 

"  Come  hither,  friend,"  commenced  the  podesta,  in  a 
patronizing,  but  somewhat  lofty  manner ;  "  this  generous  and 
noble  English  captain,  Sir  Kooffe,  desires  me  to  present  you 
with  a  ducat,  by  way  of  showing  that  he  asks  no  more  of 
you  than  he  is  willing  to  pay  for.  A  ducat*  is  a  great  deal 

*  The  silver  ducat  of  Naples  is  worth  80  grani,  or  rather  less  than 
80  cents  ;  the  golden  ducat,  or  sequin  of  Italy,  Holland,  Turkey,  &c. 
is  worth  a  trifle  more  than  two  American  dollar*.  Raoul  was  offered 
the  former. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  229 

of  money,  as  you  know ;  and  good  pay  merits  good  ser 
vices." 

"  S'nore,  si ;  your  eccellenza  says  the  truth ;  a  good 
ducat,  certainly,  deserves  good  services." 

"  Bene.  Now,  tell  these  signori  all  you  know  about  that 
said  lugger ;  where  you  saw  her ;  when  you  saw  her ;  and 
what  she  was  about.  Keep  your  mind  clear,  and  tell  us 
one  thing  at  a  time." 

"  S'nore,  si.  I  will  keep  my  mind  clear,  and  tell  you  no 
more  than  one  thing  at  a  time.  I  believe,  eccellenza,  I  am 
to  begin  with  where  I  saw  her ;  then  I  'm  to  tell  you  when 
I  saw  her ;  after  which,  you  wish  to  know  what  she  was 
about.  I  believe,  this  is  the  way  you  put  it,  S'nore  ?" 

"  Excellently  well ;  answer  in  that  order,  and  you  will 
make  yourself  understood.  But,  first,  tell  me  ; — do  all  the 
natives  of  Capri  speak  the  same  sort  of  Italian  as  you  do 
yourself,  friend  ?" 

"  S'nore,  si — though  my  mother  having  been  a  French 
woman,  they  tell  me  that  I  have  caught  a  little  from  her. 
We  all  get  something  from  our  mothers,  eccellenza ;  and  its 
a  pity  we  could  not  keep  more  of  it." 

"  True,  friend  ;  but  now  for  the  lugger.  Remember  that 
honourable  signori  will  hear  what  you  say ;  therefore,  for 
your  own  credit,  speak  to  the  point ;  and  speak  nothing  but 
truth,  for  the  love  of  God." 

"  Then,  S'nore,  first,  as  to  where  I  saw  her— does  your 
eccellenza  mean,  where  I  was  at  the  time,  or  where  the 
lugger  was  ?" 

"  Where  the  lugger  was,  fellow.  Dost  think  Sir  Kooffe 
cares  where  thou  spent  thy  day  !" 

"  Well,  then,  eccellenza,  the  lugger  was  near  the  Island 
of  Capri,  on  the  side  next  the  Mediterranean,  which,  you 
know,  S'nore,  is  on  the  side  opposite  to  the  bay,  and  near, 
as  might  be,  abreast  of  the  house  of  Giacomo  Alberti — does 
your  eccellenza  know  anything  of  the  house  I  mean?" 

"  Not  I ;  but  tell  your  story,  as  if  I  knew  all  about  it.  It 
is  these  particulars  which  give  value  to  a  tale.  How  far 
from  the  nearest  land  ? — Mention  that  fact,  by  all  means,  if 
you  happen  to  remember." 

"  Well,  eccellenza,  could  the  distance  be  measured,  now, 
I  think  it  would  prove  to  be  about  as  far — not  quite,  S'nore  ; 
20 


230  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

but,  I  say,  about — about  as  far  as  from  the  said  Giacorno'a 
largest  fig-tree,  to  the  vines  of  Giovanni,  his  wife's  cousin. 
Si — I  think,  just  about  that  distance." 

"  And  how  far  may  that  be,  friend.  Be  precise,  as  much 
may  depend  on  your  answers." 

"  S'nore,  that  may  be  a  trifle  farther  than  it  is  from  the 
church  to  the  top  of  the  stairs  that  lead  to  Ana  Capri." 

"  Cospetto  ! — Thou  wilt  earn  thy  ducat  speedily,  at  this 
rate !  Tell  us,  at  once,  in  miles ;  was  the  lugger  one,  two, 
six,  or  twenty  miles  from  your  island,  at  the  time  thou 
speak'st  of?" 

l-  Eccellenza,  you  bid  me  speak  of  the  time,  in  the  second 
place ;  after  I  had  told  you  of  the  where,  in  the  first  place. 
I  wish  to  do  whatever  will  give  you  pleasure,  S'nore." 

"  Neighbour  Vito  Viti,"  put  in  the  vice-governatore,  "  it 
may  be  well  to  remember  that  this  matter  is  not  to  be  re 
corded,  as  you  would  put  on  file  the  confessions  of  a  thief; 
it  may  be  better  to  let  the  honest  boatman  tell  his  story  in  his 
own  way." 

"  Ay,  now  the  veechy  has  set  to  work,  I  hope  we  shall 
get  the  worth  of  our  ducat,"  observed  Cuffe,  in  English. 

"  S'nori,"  rejoined  Raoul,  "  it  shall  be  just  as  your 
eccellenzi  say.  The  lugger  you  speak  of  was  off  the  island, 
last  evening,  steering  towards  Ischia ;  which  place  she  must 
have  reached,  in  the  course  of  the  night,  as  there  was  a  good 
land-wind,  from  the  twenty-third  to  the  fifth  hour." 

"  This  agrees  with  our  account,  as  to  the  time  and  place," 
said  Griffin ;  "  but  not  at  all,  as  to  the  direction  the  corsair 
was  steering.  We  hear,  she  was  rather  rounding  the 
southern  cape,  for  the  Gulf  of  Salerno." 

Raoul  started,  and  gave  thanks,  mentally,  that  he  had 
come  on  board,  as  this  statement  showed  that  his  enemies 
had  received  only  too  accurate  information  of  his  recent 
movements.  He  had  hopes,  however,  of  being  able,  yet,  to 
change  their  intentions,  and  to  put  them  on  a  wrong  scent. 

"  S'nori,"  he  said,  "  I  should  like  to  know  who  it  is  that 
mistakes  south-east  for  north-west.  None  of  our  pilots  or 
boatmen,  I  should  think,  could  ever  make  so  great  a  blunder. 
S'nore,  you  are  an  officer,  and  understand  such  things ;  and 
I  will  just  ask  you,  if  Ischia  does  not  lie  north-west  of 
Capri?" 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  231 

"  Of  that  fact,  there  can  be  no  manner  of  doubt,"  returned 
Griffin ;  "  it  is  equally  true,  that  the  Gulf  of  Salerno  lies 
south-east  of  both — " 

"  There,  now !"  interrupted  Raoul,  with  a  well-acted 
assumption  of  vulgar  triumph ;  "  I  knew,  your  eccellenza, 
when  you  came  to  look  into  it,  would  see  the  folly  of  saying 
that  a  vessel,  which  was  standing  from  Capri  towards  Ischia, 
was  going  on  any  other  course  than  north-west !" 

"  But  this  is  not  the  question,  amico.  We  all  understand 
the  bearings  of  these  islands,  which  are  the  bearings  of  the 
whole  coast,  down  here-away ;  but  the  question  is,  which 
way  the  lugger  was  steering  ?" 

"  I  thought  I  had  said,  eccellenza,  that  she  was  heading 
across  towards  Ischia,"  answered  Raoul,  with  an  air  of 
obtuse  innocence. 

"  If  you  do,  you  give  an  account  exactly  different  from 
that  which  has  been  sent  to  the  admiral,  by  the  good  bishop 
of  your  own  island.  May  I  never  eat  another  of  his  own 
quails,  if  I  think  he  would  deceive  us ;  and  it  is  not  easy  to 
suppose,  a  man  like  him,  does  not  know  north  from  south." 

Raoul  inwardly  muttered  a  malediction  on  all  priests ;  a 
class  of  men,  which,  rightly  enough,  he  believed  to  be  united 
in  their  hostility  to  France.  But,  it  would  not  do  to  express 
this,  in  his  assumed  character ;  and  he  affected  to  listen,  as 
one  of  his  class  ought  to  give  ear,  to  a  fact  that  came  from 
his  spiritual  father. 

"  North  from  south,  eccellenza ! — Monsignore  knows  a 
great  deal  more  than  that,  if  the  truth  were  said ;  though,  I 
suppose,  these  noble  signori  are  acquainted  with  the  right 
reverend  father's  great  infirmity  ?" 

"  Not  we — none  of  us,  I  fancy,  ever  had  the  honour  to  be. 
in  his  company.  Surely,  fellow,  your  bishop  is  a  man  of 
trjth ?" 

"  Truth  ! — Yes,  eccellenza,  so  true  is  he,  that  if  he  were 
to  tell  me  that  the  thing  I  saw  myself,  had  not,  and  could 
not  happen,  I  should  rather  believe  Monsignore,  than  believe 
my  own  eyes.  Still,  signori,  eyes  are  something;  and  as 
the  right  reverend  father  has  none,  or,  what  are  as  bad  as 
none,  for  any  use  they  can  be  in  looking  at  a  vessel  half-a- 
mile  off,  he  may  not  always  see  what  he  thinks  he  sees. 
When  Monsignore  tells  us  that  so  and  so  is  Gospel,  we  all 


LE     FETJ  -FOLLET. 

believe  it ;  for  we  know  the  time  has  been  when  he  could  read  ; 
but  we  never  think  of  going  to  his  door  to  ask  which  way  a 
ship  is  steering,  having  the  use  of  our  own  senses." 

"  Can  this  fellow  tell  us  the  truth,  Griffin  ?"  asked  Cuffe, 
a  good  deal  mystified  by  Raoul's  artifice,  and  his  assumed 
simplicity.  "  If  so,  we  shall  be  going  exactly  on  the  wrong 
scent,  by  hauling  round  Campanella,  and  running  into  the 
Gulf  of  Salerno.  The  French  hold  Gaeta,  yet,  and  it  is 
quite  likely  that  Master  Yvard  may  wish  to  keep  a  friendly 
port  open  under  his  lee !" 

"  You  forget,  Captain  Cuffe,  that  his  lordship  has  sent  a 
light  cruiser,  already,  up  that  way  ;  and  le  Feu-Follet  would 
hardly  dare  to  show  herself  near  one  of  our  regular  fel 
lows—" 

"Umph! — I  don't  know  that,  Mr.  Griffin;— I  don't  ex 
actly  know  that.  The  Proserpine  is  a  '  regular  fellow,'  after 
a  fashion,  at  least ;  and  the  Few-Folly  has  dared  to  show 

herself  to  her.  Jack-o'-Lantern  ! — D n-me,  Griffin,  but 

I  think  she  is  well  named,  now.  I  'd  rather  chase  a  jack-o'- 
lantern,  in  the  Island  of  Sicily,  than  be  hunting  after  such  a 
chap  ; — first,  he 's  here  ;  then,  he 's  there  ;  and,  presently, 
he 's  nowhere.  As  for  the  sloop,  she  's  gone  south,  at  my 
suggestion,  to  look  into  the  bays  along  the  Calabrian  coast. 
I  told  Nelson  I  wanted  another  ship ;  for,  just  so  certain  as 

this  Rule — Raw-owl — what  the  d 1  do  you  call  the 

pirate,  Griffin  ? — " 

"  Raoul,  Captain  Cuffe ;.  Raoul  Yvard  is  his  name.  'Tig 
thoroughly^  French. — Raoul,  means  Rodolph." 

"  Well,  I  told  Nelson,  if  this  lad  should  get  to  dodging 
round  one  of  the  islands,  we  might  as  well  set  about  playing 
*  puss  in  the  corner,'  by  the  week,  as  to  think  of  driving  him 
off  the  land,  for  a  fair  chase.  He  works  his  boat  like  a 
stage-coach,  turning  in  to  an  inn-yard  !" 

"  I  wonder  my  lord  did  not  think  of  this,  and  give  us  a 
sloop  or  two,  to  help  us." 

"  Catch  Nel.  at  that ! — He  might  send  one  Englishman  to 
look  after  two  Frenchmen  ;  but  he  'd  never  droam  of  sending 
two  Englishmen  to  look  after  one  Frenchman." 

"But  this  is  not  a  fighting  matter,  sir;  only  a  chase— 
and  one  Frenchman  will  run  faster  than  two  Englishmen, 
any  day  of  the  week." 


L  E     FEU-FOLLET.  233 

"  Sa-c-r-r-r-e,"  muttered  Raoul,  in  a  tone  that  he  en 
deavoured  to  suppress,  and  which  was  inaudible,  to  all  ears, 
but  those  of  Andrea  Barrofaldi;  the  vice-governatore  hap 
pening  to  stand  nearer  his  person,  just  at  that  moment,  than 
any  other  of  the  party. 

"  Very  true,"  answered  CufFe ;  "but  so  it  is.  We  are 
sent  alone ;  and  if  this  Few-Folly  get  in  between  Ischia  and 
Procida,  it  will  be  easier  to  unearth  a  fox,  than  to  drive  her 
out,  single-handed.  As  for  any  more  boat-service  against 
her,  I  suppose,  you've  all  had  enough  of  that  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  I  rather  think  the  people  would  be  shy," 
answered  Griffin,  with  a  little  hesitation  of  manner,  and  yet 
with  the  directness  and  simplicity  of  a  truly  brave  man. 
**  We  must  let  them  get  over  the  last  brush,  before  they  are 
depended  on  much,  for  any  new  set-to,  of  that  sort." 

"  Bon  /"  muttered  Raoul,  quite  unconscious  he  was  over 
heard. 

"  Nevertheless,  we  must  catch  this  fellow  if  we  wear  out 
our  shoes,  in  the  chase." 

All  this  time  Andrea  Barrofaldi  and  Vito  Viti  were  pro 
foundly  ignorant  of  what  was  passing  between  the  two  offi 
cers,  though  Raoul  listened  eagerly,  and  so  well  understood 
every  syllable  they  uttered.  Until  this  moment,  the  vice- 
governatore  had  been  rather  indifferent  and  inattentive,  as  to 
what  occurred ;  but  the  two  exclamations  of  Raoul,  awakened 
a  vague  distrust  in  his  mind,  which,  while  it  had  no  direct  ob 
ject,  was  certainly  pregnant  with  serious  consequences  to  the 
Frenchman  himself.  Deep  mortification  at  the  manner  in 
which  they  had  been  duped  by  this  celebrated  privateersman, 
with  a  desire  to  absent  themselves  from  the  island,  until  the 
edge  was  a  little  taken  off  the  ridicule  they  both  felt  they 
merited,  blended  with  certain  longings  to  redeem  their  charac 
ters,  by  assisting  in  capturing  the  corsair,  were  the  reasons 
why  these  two  worthies,  the  deputy-governor  and  the  podesta, 
were  now  on  board  the  Proserpine.  Cuffe  had  offered  them 
cots  in  his  cabin,  and  seats  at  his  table,  in  a  moment  of  con 
fidence ;  and  the  offer  was  gladly  accepted.  Andrea  had 
not  been  on  board  the  ship  a  day,  however,  before  he  became 
thoroughly  convinced  of  his  utter  uselessness ;  a  circum 
stance  that  added  materially  to  the  awkwardness  of  his 
situation.  Like  all  well-meaning  and  simple-minded  men, 
20* 


234   .  LEFEU-FOLLET. 

he  had  a  strong  wish  to  be  doing ;  and  day  and  night  he 
ruminated  on  the  means,  by  himself,  or  discussed  them  in 
private  dialogues  with  his  friend,  the  podesta.  Vito  Viti 
frankly  admonished  him  to  put  his  faith  in  heaven ;  affirm 
ing  that  something  worth  while,  would  yet  turn  up,  in  the 
cruise,  to  render  the  enterprise  memorable ;  it  being  a  habit, 
with  the  magistrate,  to  say  an  ave  or  two,  on  all  trying 
occasions,  and  then  trust  to  God. 

"  You  never  knew  a  miracle,  vice-governatore,"  said  Vito 
Viti,  one  day,  when  they  were  discussing  the  matter  by 
themselves  ;  "  you  never  knew  a  miracle  come  to  pass,  that 
another  was  not  close  on  its  heels ;  the  first  being  a  mere 
preparation  for  the  last,  and  the  last  always  proving  to  bo 
the  most  remarkable.  Now,  when  Anina  Gotti  fell  off  the 
cliffs,  it  was  a  miracle  she  didn't  break  her  neck ;  but,  when 
jhe  rolled  over  into  the  sea,  it  was  a  much  greater  she  wasn't 
drowned !" 

"  It  is  better  to  leave  these  things  to  the  church,  neighbour 
Vito,"  was  the  vice-governatore's  answer ;  "  nor  do  I  see, 
that  there  has  been  any  miracle  in  the  affair,  to  start  with." 

"  How ! — Do  you  not  call  it  a  miracle,  Signer  Andrea, 
that  two  such  men  as  you  and  I,  should  be  deceived,  as  we 
were,  beyond  all  doubt,  by  this  knave  of  a  French  corsair  ? 
—I  look  upon  it  as  so  great  a  miracle,  myself,  that  it  ought 
to  follow,  instead  of  going  before  its  companion." 

To  this  Andrea  made  an  answer  suitable  to  his  greater 
information,  and  the  discourse  took  its  usual  direction,  to 
wards  the  means  of  doing  something  to  relieve  the  two  func 
tionaries  from  the  stigma,  that  they  mutually  felt  now  rested 
on  their  sagacity ;  and  that,  too,  as  this  sagacity  might  be 
considered  conjointly  or  individually. 

It  was  probably  owing  to  this  fever  of  the  mind,  that  the 
vice-governatore,  a  man  usually  so  simple  and  confiding, 
was  now  so  suspicious  and  keen-sighted.  The  presence  of 
Carlo  Giuntotardi  and  Ghita  had,  at  first,  struck  him  as  a 
little  out  of  the  common  way;  and,  though  he  could  not 
distinguish  their  faces  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  and  at  the 
distance  at  which  they  were  placed  in  the  yawl,  he  fancied, 
from  the  first,  that  his  old  acquaintances  were  in  the  boat 
the  ship  was  towing.  Now  Andrea  Barrofaldi,  certainly, 
ha  1  never,  beforo  that  day,  connected  Ghita,  or  her  uncle, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET  235 

in  any  manner  with  Raoul  Yvard  ;  but,  it  was  beyond  dis- 
pute,  that  the  mysterious  manner  in  which  they  disappeared 
from  the  island,  had  excited  some  remarks ;  and,  in  his 
present  state  of  mind,  it  was  not  an  extraordinary  circum 
stance  that  he  had  some  distant  and  vague  glimmerings  of 
the  truth.  But  for  Raoul's  indiscreet  exclamations,  however, 
nothing  probably  would  have  come  of  these  indistinct  fancies; 
nd  we  are  to  refer  all  that  followed  to  those  unguarded  out- 
reakings  of  the  Frenchman's  humour,  rather  than  to  any 
very  clear  process  of  ratiocination  on  the  part  of  the  vice- 
governatore. 

Just  as  CufFe  made  the  declaration  last  recorded,  Andrea 
stepped  up  to  the  spot  where  he  and  Griffin  were  conversing 
apart,  and  whispered  a  few  words  in  the  ear  of  the  latter. 

"The  d 1!"  exclaimed  the  lieutenant,  in  English. 

"  If  what  the  vice-governatore  tells  me,  be  true,  Captain 
Cuffe,  the  work  is  half  done  to  our  hands !" 

"  Ay,  the  veechy  is  a  good  fellow,  at  the  bottom,  Griffin  • 
though  he  '11  never  burn  the  bay  of  Naples.  What  has  he 
to  say,  now  ?" 

Griffin  led  his  captain  a  little  aside,  and  conferred  a  mo 
ment  with  him,  alone.  Orders  were  then  passed  to  the 
officer  of  the  deck,  when  Cuffe  and  his  companion  went 
below,  like  men  in  a  hurry. 


236  L  £      FFU-FOLLET. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 


*What  countryman,  I  pray?" 

"Of  Mantua." 

"Of  Mantua,  sir?  —  marry,  God  forbid! 
And  come  to  Padua,  careless  of  your  life  ?M 

Taming  of  the  Shrew. 


the  momentous  five  minutes  occupied  in  these 
private  movements,  Raoul  affected  to  be  gaping  about 
in  vulgar  astonishment,  examining  the  guns,  rigging,  orna 
ments  of  the  quarter-deck,  &c.  ;  though,  in  truth,  nothing 
that  passed  among  those  near  him,  escaped  his  vigilant 
attention.  He  was  uneasy  at  the  signs  of  the  times,  and 
now  regretted  his  own  temerity;  but  still  he  thought  his 
incognito  must  be  impenetrable.  Like  most  persons,  who 
fancy  they  speak  a  foreign  language  well,  he  was  igno 
rant,  too,  in  how  many  little  things  he  betrayed  himself;  the 
Englishman,  ceeteris  paribus,  usually  pronouncing  the  Italian 
better  than  the  Frenchman,  on  account  of  the  greater  affinity 
between  his  native  language  and  that  of  Italy,  in  what 
relates  to  emphasis  and  sounds.  Such  was  the  state  of  mind 
of  our  hero,  then,  as  he  got  an  intimation  that  the  captain 
of  the  ship  wished  to  see  him  below.  Raoul  observed,  as  he 
descended  the  ladder,  to  comply  with  what  sounded  very 
much  like  an  order,  that  he  was  followed  by  the  two  Elban 
functionaries. 

The  cabin-lamp  was  trimmed,  and  the  privateersman  found 
himself  under  a  strong  light,  as  soon  as  he  had  crossed  the 


LB     FEU-FOLLET.  237 

threshold  of  the  apartment.  Cuffe  and  Griffin  were  standing 
near  the  table,  where  the  v ice-go vernatore  and  the  podesta 
took  their  stations,  also ;  giving  the  whole  arrangement  a 
most  uncfpnfortable  air  of  investigation  and  Justice.  For  an 
instant,  Raoul  wished  that  it  was  a  portion  of  the  Holy  Inqui 
sition,  rather  than  the  tribunal  before  which  he  now  found 
himself  so  unexpectedly  arraigned. 

"  You  must  be  cool,"  said  Griffin,  as  the  other  moved 
slowly  up  to  the  table,  maintaining  the  outward  signs  of 
steadiness,  but  cursing,  in  his  heart,  the  severe  ordeal  which 
he  felt  he  was  undergoing ;  "  do  me  the  favour  to  put  this 
silk  handkerchief  about  your  neck." 

"  S'nore,  your  eccellenza  is  pleased  to  joke ;  we  men  of 
Capri  think  little  of  the  nights,  at  this  season  of  the  year- 
still,  as  it  seems  to  be  your  wish,  I  will  honour  myself  so 
much." 

In  that  age,  a  black  silk  kerchief  was  the  certain  mark 
of  a  military  man.  The  old-fashioned  stock  had  gone  out, 
with  all  but  old-fashioned  people,  and  the  new-fashioned 
substitute  did  not  make  its  appearance  until  many  years 
later ;  the  present  usage,  indeed,  having  come  in  from  an 
imitation  of  the  military  mania  which  pervaded  Christendom 
at  the  close  of  the  last  general  war.  Black  around  the  neck, 
properly  relieved  by  the  white  of  the  linen,  was  then  deemed 
particularly  military ;  and  even  in  the  ordinary  dress,  such 
a  peculiarity  was  as  certain  a  sign,  as  the  cockade,  that  the 
wearer  bore  arms.  Raoul  knew  this,  and  he  felt  he  was 
aiding  in  unmasking  himself,  by  complying ;  but  he  thought 
there  might  be  greater  danger,  should  he  refuse  to  assume 
the  kerchief. 

"  Your  eccellenza  is  making  a  prince,  of  a  very  humble 
boatman,"  he  said,  when  his  neck  was  fairly  enveloped ; 
"  and  my  wife  will  think  some  great  general  is  coming, 
when  I  enter  the  door." 

"  To  help  the  delusion,  friend,  wear  this,  also,"  continued 
Griffin,  throwing  the  other  one  of  his  own  undress  uniform 
coats,  his  stature  and  that  of  Raoul  being  very  nearly  the 
same. 

The  true  state  of  the  case  was  now  getting  to  be  some- 
what  unequivocal;  nevertheless,  as  steadiness  and  compli 
ance  were  his  only  hopes,  Raoul  did  as  desired,  and  stood 


238  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

with  all  his  upper  man  decorated  in  an  English  naval  un 
dress  uniform,  while  the  nether  remained  a  la  lazzarone. 

"  What  say  you,  now,  vice-governatore,"  resumed  Griffin, 
"  here  are  lights,  and  the  dress?"  <0 

"  I  say  that  this  gentleman  has  done  me  the  honour  of 
several  visits,  in  my  poor  residence,  at  Porto  Ferrajo," 
returned  Andrea ;  "  and  that  never  has  he  been  more  wel 
come,  than  he  is  at  this  moment.  Signor  Smees,  you  -are  a 
great  lover  of  masquerades,  and  make  a  carnival  of  the 
whole  year.  I  trust,  your  distinguished  countryman,  Sir 
Cicero,  will  have  it  in  his  power  to  convince  these  brave 
Inglese,  that  all  is  done  in  pure  pleasantry,  and  without  a 
crime." 

"  Messieurs,"  said  Raoul,  stripping  himself  of  his  bor 
rowed  plumes,  "  it  is  too  late  to  feign,  any  longer.  If  I  am 
Raoul  Yvard,  as  you  say,  I  am  certainly  not  le  Feu-Follet." 

"  Of  course,  you  are  aware,  Monsieur,"  observed  Griffin, 
in  French,  "  that  you  are  a  prisoner  to  His  Britannic  Ma 
jesty  ?" 

"  Sa  Majeste  Britannique  has  not  made  a  conquest  equal 
to  his  success  at  the  Nile,"  returned  Raoul,  ironically; 
"  but  he  has  me  in  his  hands.  It  is  not  the  first  time  that  I 
have  had  the  honour  to  be  a  prisoner  of  war,  and  that,  too, 
in  one  of  his  own  ships." 

"  You  are  not  to  suppose  that  such  will  be  your  situation, 
now,  Monsieur  Yvard.  We  arrest  you  in  a  totally  different 
character." 

"  Not  as  a  friend,  I  trust,  Monsieur ;  for,  I  protest,  I  have 
not  the  smallest  claim  to  the  character ;  as  witness  a  short 
interview  off  Porto  Ferrajo,  and  an  interesting  incident  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Golo." 

"  Your  taunts  may  be  spared,  sir ;  fortune  favoured  you, 
then,  we  allow;  but,  now,  we  arrest  you  as  a  spy." 

"Espion!"  repeated  Raoul,  starting;  "that  is  an  office 
f  never  contemplated,  Monsieur,  on  coming  on  board  your 
ship.  You  will  do  me  the  justice  to  acknowledge,  that  it 
was  only  at  your  own  invitation,  that  I  came  on  deck. 
'T  would  be  an  infamy  to  pretend  differently  !" 

"  We  will  endure  the  infamy  of  our  acts,  Monsieur  Yvard. 
No  one  accuses  you  of  having  come  on  board  the  Proserpine 
sis  a  spy ;  but,  when  an  enemy  is  found  rowing  about  our 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  239 

fleet,  which  is  anchored  in  a  hostile  bay,  and  this  in  a  dis 
guise  like  yours,  it  must  be  a  very  scrupulous  conscience, 
that  hesitates  to  pronounce  him  a  spy,  and  liable  to  the 
punishment  of  one." 

This  was  so  true,  that  the  unfortunate  young  man  now 
felt  the  exceeding  delicacy  of  his  situation.  In  coming  into 
the  bay,  he  had  certainly  been  led  by  no  other  intention  than 
to  find  Ghita ;  and  yet  he  could  not  but  confess,  to  himself, 
that  he  should  not  have  hesitated  about  profiting,  in  his  pub 
lic  character,  by  any  information  incidentally  obtained.  He 
had  subjected  himself  to  the  severest  penalties  of  military 
law,  by  yielding  to  his  passion  for  Ghita ;  and  he  could  not 
discover  a  single  available  excuse,  to  plead  in  mitigation. 

"  What  does  the  poor  devil  say,  Griffin,"  asked  CufFe, 
who  felt  regret  that  so  brave  an  enemy  should  be  reduced  to 
so  desperate  a  strait,  notwithstanding  his  determined  hostility 
to  all  Frenchmen  ;  "  do  not  bear  too  hard  upon  him,  at  the 
first  go  off.  Has  he  any  excuse  for  his  disguise  ?" 

"  The  usual  apology,  no  doubt,  sir — a  desire  to  serve  his 
one  and  undivided  republic  !  If  we  should  believe  all  such 
chaps  tell  us,  Captain  CufFe,  we  might  go  home,  and  send 
deputies  to  the  National  Convention  ;  if,  indeed,  they  would 
do  us  the  favour  to  admit  them  to  seats." 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Raoul,  in  English,  -*  there  is  no 
longer  any  occasion  for  an  interpreter  between  us ;  I  speak 
your  language  sufficiently  well  to  make  myself  understood." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  your  situation,  Mr.  Yvard,"  said  CufFe, 
"  and  wish,  with  all  my  heart,  you  had  fallen  into  our  hands 
in  open  battle,  instead  of  in  this  irregular  way." 

"  In  which  case,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine,  le  Feu-Follel 
would  have  been  in  your  power,  also !"  returned  Raoul, 
smiling  ironically  ;  "  but,  messieurs,  words  are  idle,  now  ;  1 
am  your  prisoner,  and  must  take  my  chance  with  you. 
There  is  no  necessity,  however,  for  causing  others  to  suffer 
for  my  indiscretion.  I  shall  esteem  it  a  favour,  messieurs,  if 
you  will  let  the  good  people,  in  the  boat  alongside,  pull 
ashore,  without  molestation.  It  is  getting  late,  and  we  must, 
now,  be  nearly,  or  quite  abeam  of  the  place  where  they  wish 
to  land  ;  which  is  the  marina  grande  of  Sorrento." 

"  Do  you  wish  us  to  understand  that  your  companions  are 
not  French,  Monsieur  Yvard  ?" 


240  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

*'  Oui,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine ;  there  is  not  a  Frenchman 
among  them,  I  give  you  my  parole  d'honneur." 

"  Of  that  fact,  it  may  be  well  to  satisfy  ourselves  by  an 
examination,  Captain  CufTe,"  put  in  Griffin,  drily. 

"  I  have  sent  up  to  beg  Mr.  Winchester  would  get  these 
people  on  board — " 

"  There  is  a  young  woman,  in  the  boat,  who  is  unaccus 
tomed  to  entering  ships,"  interrupted  Raoul,  hastily,  "  and 
[  implore  your  tenderness,  in  her  behalf.  Let  the  men  come 
on  board,  if  you  think  it  necessary;  but  the  signorina  can 
never  climb  this  frigate's  sides  !" 

"  We  will  see  to  that ;  more  especially,  Monsieur  Yvard, 
as  you  appear  to  be  so  much  interested  in  the  lady's  comfort. 
At  present,  it  will  be  my  duty  to  put  you  under  a  sentry's 
charge ;  and  that  it  may  be  done  in  a  way  the  least  offen 
sive  to  yourself,  your  prison,  for  the  night  at  least,  shall  be 
this  cabin.  Mr.  Griffin,  give  orders  to  the  marine  officer, 
accordingly." 

In  a  few  minutes,  a  soldier  was  introduced  into  the  for 
ward  cabin,  and  Raoul  was  regularly  placed  under  his 
charge.  Not  till  then  did  the  officers  return  to  the  quarter 
deck.  All  this  time,  Ithuel,  and  his  companions  in  the  yawl, 
were  left  to  their  own  reflections,  which  were  anything  but 
agreeable.  Matters  had  been  conducted  so  quietly,  in-board, 
.however,  that  they  possessed  no  clue  to  what  had  actually 
occurred  ;  though  Ghita,  in  particular,  was  full  of  forebodings 
and  apprehensions.  The  frigate  had  towed  them  along  at  a 
rate,  which,  as  Raoul  had  said,  had  brought  them  quite 
abreast  of  their  landing,  and  within  a  league  of  it ;  and  yet 
she  showed  no  signs  of  an  intention  to  abate  her  speed,  nor 
did  any  one  appear  at  the  gangway,  to  speak  to  them.  At 
length  a  hoarse  call  was  heard  on  deck,  and  the  ship  began 
to  shorten  sail.  Her  fore-course  was  hauled  up,  and  the 
spanker  was  brailed ;  then  the  royals  were  clewed  up,  and 
furled;  the  top-gallant-sails  followed;  and  presently  the 
Proserpine  was  reduced  to  her  three  topsails  and  jib.  Ail 
this,  finished  just  as  Cuffe  reappeared  on  deck,  was  done  by 
the  watch,  and  in  about  five  minutes.  As  soon  as  sail  was 
thus  taken  in,  the  helm  was  put  to  port,  the  ship  came  up  to 
the  wind,  on  the  starboard  tack,  and  the  main-topsail  was 
laid  to  the  mast,  bringing  the  yawl  under  her  lee,  and  close 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  24 1 

alongside  of  the  ship.  This  mauoeuvre  was  no  sooner  exe 
cuted,  than  a  seaman  ran  lightly  down  the  vessel's  side,  and 
entered  the  yawl.  After  examining  forward  and  aft,  he 
called  out,  "all  right,  sir,"  and  shoved  the  boat  off  to  a 
little  distance  from  the  frigate.  The  yard  and  stay-tackics 
fell,  at  the  next  instant,  were  overhauled  down,  and  hooked 
by  the  man  in  the  boat.  The  boatswain's  mate,  in  the  gang 
way,  piped,  "  haul-taut,"  and  the  slack  of  the  tackle  was 
pulled  in ;  then  followed  a  long,  steady  blow  of  the  call, 
piping,  "  sway-away,"  and  the  boat,  with  all  in  her,  rose 
from  the  water,  and  ascended  as  high  as  the  hammock- 
cloths  in  the  waist,  when  the  stay-tackles  took  the  strain, 
the  yard-tackles  "  eased-off,"  and  the  boat  was  landed  in  the 
waist  of  the  ship,  as  gingerly  as  if  it  were  made  of  glass, 
and  as  steadily  as  if  it  had  no  more  weight  than  a  seaman's 
hammock.  Ghita  uttered  a  faint  scream,  when  she  found 
herself  rising  into  the  air,  and  then  she  hid  her  face,  await 
ing  the  result  with  dread.  As  for  Carlo  Giuntotardi,  the 
movement  aroused  him  a  little  from  his  customary  apathy, 
and  that  was  all ;  whereas,  Ithuel  bethought  him  seriously 
of  leaping  into  the  water,  and  striking  out  for  the  land.  He 
could  swim  a  league,  he  thought ;  but  there  was  the  certainty 
of  being  followed  by  boats,  and  overtaken ;  a  consideration 
that  effectually  curbed  his  impatience.  It  is  not  easy  to 
describe  the  sensation  with  which  this  man  found  himself, 
once  more,  standing  on  the  deck  of  his  old  prison,  with  the 
additional  danger  of  being  detected  and  treated  as  a  deserter. 
It  may  sound  revolting,  at  the  present  day,  to  suppose  a  case 
in  which  a  foreigner  was  thrown  by  violence,  into  the  military 
service  of  a  nation,  and  then  was  put  in  jeopardy  of  his  life, 
because  he  used  a  privilege  of  nature,  to  fly  from  such  perse 
cution,  as  soon  as  circumstances  placed  the  means  in  his 
power.  The  last  age,  however,  witnessed  many  scenes  of 
similar  wrongs  ;  and,  it  is  to  be  feared,  in  despite  of  all 
the  mawkish  philanthropy,  and  unmeaning  professions  of 
eternal  peace,  that  it  is  now  the  fashion  to  array  against  the 
experience  of  mankind,  that  the  next  age  will  present  their 
parallels,  unless  the  good  sense  of  this  nation  infuse  into  the 
federal  legislative  bodies  juster  notions  of  policy,  more  ex 
tended  views  of  their  own  duties,  and  more  accurate  opinions 
of  the  conditions  of  the  several  communities  of  Christendom, 
21 


242  JLE     FEU-FOLLET. 

than  has  marked  their  laws  and  reasoning  for  the  few  past 
months.  In  a  word,  the  subject  of  all  these  tribulations 
felt  an  intimate  conviction,  that  his  rights,  legal  and  moral, 
would  avail  him  but  little,  on  the  present  occasion.  Then  a 
man  never  does  wrong,  even  in  defence  of  that  which  is 
inherently  his  due,  without  the  secret  consciousness  that 
"  evil  may  not  be  done,  that  good  may  come  of  it ;"  and  Ithuel 
had  a  certain  inward  monitor  to  remind  him,  that,  much  as 
he  had  in  the  way  of  justifiable  complaint,  he  had  carried 
the  war  into  the  enemy's  country. 

The  boat  had  no  sooner  touched  the  deck,  than  its  cargo 
was  handed  out  by  the  boatswain,  who,  keeping  no  watch, 
had  not  yet  turned  in ;  and  who  was  almost  as  important  a 
functionary,  on  board  the  Proserpine,  as  was  Vito  Viti,  in 
ihe  town  of  Porto  Ferrajo.  He  examined  each  individual, 
as  he  or  she  landed;  as  he  called  it ;  Ghita  attracting  so 
much  of  his  attention,  as  completely  to  eclipse  her  compan 
ions.  The  soft  air  and  manner  of  the  girl  appeared  so  win 
ning,  indeed,  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  which  now  fell  clear 
upon  the  decks,  that  all  near  her,  including  the  officers, 
submitted  to  very  much  the  same  influence. 

"  So,  so,  Master  Yvard,"  said  Cuffe,  in  English,  "  if  you 
do  come  into  an  enemy's  camp,  incog.,  it  is  in  reasonably 
good  company.  That  girl  is  Italian,  Winchester ;  and  she 
even  seems  modest !" 

"Little  Ghita!"  exclaimed  Vito  Viti,  "as  I  hope,  one 
day,  to  lie  in  the  bosom  of  Father  Abraham !  Belissima 
Ghita,  what  has  brought  thee  here,  and  in  such  evil  com 
pany?" 

Ghita  was  in  tears ;  but,  uncertain  how  far  Raoul  was 
committed,  she  struggled  for  self-command,  and  did  succeed 
in  suppressing  emotions  that  might,  otherwise,  have  rendered 
his  situation  more  dangerous.  Drying  her  eyes,  she  curtsied 
to  the  vice-governatore  and  the  podesta,  and  then  answered 
the  question. 

"  Signori,"  she  said,  "  it  is  a  relief  to  meet  countrymen 
and  old  acquaintances,  onboard  this  strange  ship  ;  and  I  look 
to  you  for  protection.  I  do  not  call  it  strange,  or  evil  com 
pany,  for  an  orphan  niece  to  be  on  the  water  with  her  uncle, 
und  one  that  has  ever  been  a  father  to  her." 

"Ah — sure  enough,  vice-governatore.  this  is  Carlo  Giun- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  243 

totardi,  the  uncle ;  and  the  man  who  dwells  so  much  with 
the  saints,  even  on  earth,  that  he  seldom  speaks  to  a  sinner. 
But  thou  knowcst,  little  Ghita,  that  one  of  thy  watermen  is 
no  less  a  person  than  Raoul  Yvard,  the  wickedest  corsair 
that  sails  out  of  France,  and  the  pest  and  persecution  of  the 
whole  Italian  coast?  Did  the  church  condescend  to  notice 
such  an  unbelieving  republican,  it  would  be  to  command  all 
its  faithful  to  unite  in  their  prayers  for  his  destruction." 

"  Raoul  Yvard  !"  repeated  Ghita,  with  sufficient  astonish 
ment  in  her  manner  to  satisfy  any  reasonable  amount  of 
wonder,  on  the  part  of  the  other.  "  Are  you  certain,  Signoi 
Podesta,  of  the  truth  of  what  you  say?" 

"  As  certain  as  the  confession  of  the  party,  himself,  can 
make  us." 

"  Confession,  Signore !" 

"  Si,  bella  Ghita  ;  confession — your  boatman — your  man 
of  Capri — your  lazzarone,  confesses  himself  to  be  neither 
more  nor  less  than  the  commander  of  that  worker  of  iniquity, 
le  Feu-Follet." 

"  Does  le  Feu-Follet  do  more  than  other  cruisers  of  the 
enemy?" — but  Ghita  felt  she  was  getting  to  be  indiscreet,  and 
she  ceased. 

"  I  do  believe,  Winchester,"  said  Cuffe,  "  that  this  is  the 
very  girl,  and  yonder  is  the  very  old  man,  who  came  into 
Nelson's  cabin,  to-day,  with  something  to  say  about  the 
poor  prince  who  was  executed  this  afternoon  !" 

"  What  could  such  people  have  in  common  with  the  un 
fortunate  Caraccioli !" 

"  Sure  enough — yet,  these  are  the  people.  The  Queen 
of  the  Fleet  —  our  Lady  Admiraless,  had  it  all  to  herself; 
and  what  passed  between  them,  in  Italian,  I  know  no  more 
than  if  it  had  been  in  Greek.  She  never  told  me,  you  may 
rest  assured ;  and,  from  the  look  of  her  eye,  I  question  a 
good  deal  if  she  ever  told  Nelson." 

"  I  wish  to  heaven  his  lordship  would  cut  adrift  from  his 
moorings  alongside  of  that  craft,  Captain  Cuffe.  I  do  assure 
you,  sir,  the  fleet  begins  to  talk  loudly  on  the  subject ; — was 
it  any  other  man,  there  'd  be  the  devil  to  pay  about  it — but, 
we  can  all  stand  a  good  deal  from  Nelson  and  Bronte." 

"  Well — well — let  every  man  father  his  own  children : 
you  ought  to  be  quiet,  Winchester,  for  he  asked  very  kindly 


244  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

about  your  hurt,  to-day,  and  would  have  sent  you  aboard 
some  knick-knack  or  other,  for  the  stomach,, but  I  told  him 
you  were  all  a-tanto  again,  and  at  duty.  What  between 
his  head,  and  his  arm,  and'  his  eye,  he  's  got  to  be  such  a 
hulk,  himself,  that  he  thinks  every  wounded  man  a  sort  of 
a  relation.  I  should  not  complain,  however,  if  the  small 
pox  could  lay  hold  of  that  beauty." 

"  This  has  been  a  bad  day's  work,  for  England,  depend 
on  it,  Captain  Cuffe  !" 

"  Well,  if  it  has,  St.  Vincent,  and  the  Nile,  were  good 
days'  works  ;  and  we  '11  let  one  balance  the  other.  Inquire 
of  this  young  woman,  Mr.  Griffin,  if  I  had  not  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  her,  to-day,  on  board  the  Foudroyant  ?" 

The  question  was  put,  as  desired,  and  Ghita  quietly,  but 
unhesitatingly,  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Then  ask  her  to  explain  how  she  happened  to  fall  into 
<he  company  of  Raoul  Yvard  ?" 

"  Signori,"  said  Ghita,  naturally,  for  she  had  nothing  to 
conceal  on  this  point,  "  we  live  on  Monte  Argentaro,  where 
my  uncle  is  the  keeper  of  the  Prince's  towers.  You  know, 
we  have  much  to  fear  from  the  barbarians  along  all  that 
coast ;  and  last  season,  when  the  peace  with  France  kept 
the  Inglesi  at  a  distance — I  know  not  how  it  is,  signori,  but 
they  say,  the  barbarians  are  always  hardest  on  the  enemies 
of  Inghilterra — but,  the  past  season  a  boat  from  a  rover  had 
seized  upon  my  uncle  and  myself,  and  were  carrying  us  off 
into  captivity,  when  a  Frenchman,  and  his  lugger,  rescued  us. 
From  that  time  we  became  friends  ;  and  our  friend  has  often 
stopped  near  our  towers,  to  visit  us.  To-day,  we  found  him 
in  a  boat,  by  the  side  of  the  English  admiral's  ship;  and,  as 
an  old  acquaintance,  he  undertook  to  bring  us  to  the  Sorren- 
tine  shore,  where  we  are,  at  present,  staying  with  my 
mother's  sister." 

This  was  told  so  naturally,  as  to  carry  with  it  the  convic 
tion  of  its  truth;  and,  when  Griffin  had  translated  it,  he  did 
not  fail  to  assure  his  superior  that  he  would  pledge  himself 
for  the  accuracy  of  the  statement. 

"  Ay,  you  young  luffs,  Griffin,  are  never  backward  with 
your  vows  for  or  to  pretty  girls,"  answered  Cuffe.  "  The 
girl  does  seem  honest,  however ;  and,  what  is  more  extra 
ordinary,  for  the  company  she  is  in,  she  seems  modest,  too. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET  245 

Tell  her  she  shall  not  be  harmed,  though  we  cannot  deprive 
ourselves  of  the  pleasure  of  her  company  immediately.  She 
shall  have  the  larboard  state-room  in  my  cabin,  until  morn 
ing,  where  she  and  her  uncle  may  live  a  great  deal  more 
comfortably  than  in  one  of  their  out-of-door  Neapolitan 
rookeries.  Monte  Argentaro,  ha!  —  That's  a  bluff  just  be 
yond  the  Roman  coast,  and  it  is  famously  besprinkled  with 
towers  —  half  a  dozen  of  them,  at  least,  within  as  many 
miles,  and  who  knows  but  this  Jack-o'-Lantern  may  be 
extinguished  some  fine  morning,  should  we  fail  of  laying 
our  hands  on  it,  now  f 

"  We  can  hardly  fail  of  the  last,  Captain  CufFe,  having 
her  commander  in  our  possession." 

Orders  were  then  given  to  dispose  of  the  prisoners,  leav 
ing  the  boat  on  deck.  Raoul  was  sent  below,  and  put  in 
a  canvass  state-room,  the  arms  having  been  removed,  even  to 
the  razors,  and  a  sentkiel  placed  at  the  door.  Escape  from 
such  a  situation  was  impossible ;  and  as  for  self-violence, 
when  that  point  was  considered,  Cuffe  had  coolly  remarked 
—  "  Poor  devil ;  hanged  he  must  be,  and  if  he  should  be  his 
own  executioner,  it  will  save  us  the  discomfort  of  having  a 
scene  on  board.  I  suppose  Nelson  will  order  him  to  our 
fore-yard-arm,  as  a  jewel-block.  I  don't  see,  why  he  can 
not  use  a  Neapolitan  frigate,  for  this  job,  too  ;  they  are  good 
for  nothing  else." 

"  I  rather  think,  Captain  Cuffe,  he  will  swing  on  board 
his  own  lugger,  should  we  succeed  in  catching  her,"  an 
swered  the  lieutenant. 

"By  George,  you're  right,  Griffin;  and  that's  anothei 
inducement  for  looking  out  sharp  for  the  Few-Folly.  How 
much  better  it  would  have  been,  had  we  burnt  them  all,  in 
a  bunch,  off  the  Golo !" 

Then  followed  the  arrangement  by  which  the  prisoner 
was  put  into  the  gun-room,  as  mentioned.  Ghita  and  her 
uncle  were  shown  into  the  empty  cabin  state-room,  and 
mattresses  were  provided  on  which  they  might  repose. 
Then  the  captain  and  his  two  guests  retired  to  the  after- 
cabin,  whither  Griffin  was  invited  to  accompany  them. 
Here  the  captain  recollected  that  there  had  been  a  fourth 
individual  in  the  boat,  and  he  sent  an  order  on  deck  for  him 
to  come  down  for  examination.  Jthuel  observing  the  atten- 
21  * 


246  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

tion  of  the  officers  occupied  by  Ghita  and  her  uncle,  had 
stolon  back  towards  his  own  yawl,  of  which  he  had  taken 
possession,  stretching  himself  out  at  length,  with  the  appa 
rent  design  to  sleep,  but,  in  reality,  to  keep  himself  "  out  of 
mind,"  by  remaining  "  out  of  sight ;"  reserving,  in  petto,  an 
intention  to  jump  overboard,  should  the  ship  go  near  enough 
to  the  land  to  give  him  a  chance  for  his  life,  after  the  moon 
set.  In  this  situation  he  was  found,  aroused  from  his  lair, 
and  led  into  the  cabin. 

It  has  been  mentioned  th.J-.  Ithuel  would  not  consent  to 
trust  himself  near  the  Proserpine,  without  disguising  his 
person.  Raoul  being  well  provided  with  all  the  materials 
for  a  masquerade,  this  had  been  effected  by  putting  a  black 
curling  wig  over  his  own  lank,  sandy  hair,  colouring  his 
whiskers  and  eye-brows,  and  trusting-  the  remainder  to  the 
transformation  which  might  be  produced  by  the  dress,  or 
rather  undress,  of  a  Neapolitan  waterman.  The  greatest 
obstacle  to  this  arrangement  had  been  a  certain  queue, 
which  Ithuel  habitually  wore  in  a  cured  eel-skin  that  he 
had  brought  with  him  from  America,  eight  years  before,  and 
both  of  which,  "  queue  and  eel-skin,"  he  cherished  as  relics 
of  better  days.  Once  a  week  this  queue  was  unbound  and 
combed,  but  all  the  remainder  of  its  existence  it  continued  in 
a  solid  mass  quite  two  feet  in  length,  being  as  hard,  and 
about  as  thick  as  a  rope  an  inch  in  diameter.  Now,  the 
queue  had  undergone  its  hebdomadal  combing  just  an  hour 
before  Raoul  announced  his  intention  to  proceed  .to  Naples 
in  the  yawl,  and  it  would  have  been  innovating  on  the  only 
thing  that  Ithuel  treated  with  reverence,  to  undo  the  work 
until  another  week  had  completed  its  round.  The  queue, 
therefore,  was  disposed  of,  under  the  wig,  in  the  bes*  man. 
ner  that  its  shape  and  solidity  would  allow. 

Ithuel  was  left  in  the  fore-cabin,  and  his  presence  was 
announced  to  CufFe. 

"It's  no  doubt  some  poor  devil  belonging  to  the  Few- 
Folly's  crew,"  observed  the  English  captain,  in  a  rather 
compassionate  manner,  "  and  we  can  hardly  think  of  string 
ing  him  up,  most  probably  for  obeying  an  order.  That  would 
never  do,  Griffin ;  so  we  '11  just  step  out  and  overhaul  his 
log,  in  French,  and  send  him  off  to  England  to  a  prison- 
ship,  by  the  first  return  vessel." 


LE     FEU-FOI.  LET. 

As  this  was  said,  the  four  in  the  after-cabin  left  it  toge 
ther,  and  stood  before  this  new  prisoner.  Of  course  Ithuel 
understood  all  that  was  said  in  English,  while  the  very  idea 
of  being  catechised  in  French  threw  him  into  a  cold  sweat. 
In  this  strait,  the  idea  suddenly  crossed  his  mind,  that  his 
greatest  security  would  be  in  feigning  dumbness. 

*'  Ecoutez,  mon  ami,"  commenced  Griffin,  in  very  re 
spectable  English-French,  "  you  are  to  tell  me  nothing  but 
the  truth,  and  it«may  be  all  the  better  for  you.  You  belong 
to  the  Feu-Follet,  of  course  ?" 

Ithuel  shook  his  head  in  strong  disgust,  and  endeavoured 
to  make  a  sound  that  he  intended  to  represent  a  dumb  man 
struggling  to  utter  the  word  "  Napoli." 

«  What  is  the  fellow  after,  Griffin  ?"  said  Cuffe.  "  Can 
it  be  he  doesn't  understand  French !  Try  him  a  touch  in 
[talian,  and  let  us  see  what  he  will  say  to  that." 

Griffin  repeated  very  much  what  he  had  said  before, 
merely  changing  the  language,  and  received  the  same  gag 
ging  sounds  fo»  an  answer.  The  gentlemen  looked  at  each 
other,  as  much  as  to  express  their  surprise.  But,  unluckily 
for  Ithuel's  plan,  he  had  brought  with  him  from  the  granite 
state,  a  certain  propensity  to  pass  all  the  modulations  of  his 
voice  through  his  nose;  and  the  effort  to  make  a  suppressed 
sound  brought  that  member  more  than  usually  into  requisi 
tion,  thereby  producing  a  certain  disagreeable  combination 
that  destroyed  everything  like  music  that  commonly  charac 
terizes  the  Italian  words.  Now,  Andrea  had  been  struck 
with  this  peculiarity  about  the  tones  of  the  American's  voice, 
in  the  interview  at  Benedetta's  wine-house;  and  the  whole 
connection  between  Raoul  and  this  singular  person  being 
associated  in  his  mind,  the  truth  flashed  on  him,  as  it  might 
be,  at  a  glance.  His  previous  success  that  night  had  em 
boldened  the  worthy  vice-governatore,  and,  without  any 
remark,  he  walked  steadily  up  to  Ithuel,  removed  the  wig, 
and  permitted  the  eel-skin  queue  to  resume  its  natural  posi 
tion  down  the  back  of  its  owner. 

"Ha!  —  What,  veechy,"  exclaimed  Cuffe,  laughing  — 
"you  unearth  them  like  so  many  foxes,  to-night.  Now, 
Griffin,  hang  me  if  I  do  not  think  I  Ve  seen  that  chap  be 
fore  !  Isn't  he  the  very  man  we  found  at  the  wheel  of  la 
Voltigeuse,  when  we  boarded  her?" 


248  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

"Lord  bless  me,  Captain  CufTe — no  sir.  This  fellow  is 
as  long  as  two  of  that  chap — and  yet  I  know  the  face,  too — 
I  wish  \ou'd  let  me  send  for  one  of  the  young  gentlemen, 
sir ;  they  're  worth  all  the  rest  of  the  ship  at  remembering 
faces." 

The  permission  was  given,  and  the  cabin  steward  wis 
sent  on  deck  to  desire  Mr.  Roller,  one  of  the  oldest  midship 
men,  and  who  was  known  to  have  the  watch,  to  como 
below. 

"  Look  at  this  fellow,  Mr.  Roller,"  said  Griffin,  as  soon 
as  the  youngster  had  taken  his  place  in  the  group,  "  and 
tell  us  if  you  can  make  anything  of  him?" 

"  It 's  the  lazy-rony,  sir,  we  hoisted  in,  a  bit  ago,  when 
we  struck  the  boat  on  deck." 

"Ay,  no  doubt  of  that —  but  we  think  we  have  seen  his 
face  before; — can  you  make  that  out." 

Roller  now  walked  round  the  immovable  subject  of  all 
these  remarks ;  and  he,  too,  began  to  thin^  the  singular- 
looking  object  was  no  stranger  to  him.  As  soon,  however, 
as  he  got  a  sight  of  the  queue,  he  struck  Ithuel  a  smart  slap 
on  the  shoulder,  and  exclaimed — 

"  You  're  welcome  back,  my  lad ;  I  hope  you  '11  find  youi 
berth  aloft,  as  much  to  your  mind  as  it  used  to  be.  This 
is  Bolt,  Captain  Cuffe,  the  fore-top-man,  who  ran  from  us 
when  last  in  England,  was  caught  and  put  in  a  guard-ship, 
from  which  they  sent  us  word  he  stole  a  boat,  and  got  off 
with  two  or  three  French  prisoners,  who  happened  to  be 
there  at  the  moment,  on  some  inquiry  or  other.  Don't  you 
remember  it  all,  Mr.  Griffin — you  may  remember  the  fellow 
pretended  to  be  an  American." 

Ithuel  was  now  completely  exposed,  and  he  at  once  per 
ceived  that  his  wisest  way  was  to  submit.  Cuffe's  counte 
nance  darkened,  for  he  regarded  a  deserter  with  a  species 
of  professional  horror,  and  the  impressed  deserter  to  whose 
services  England  had  no  other  right  than  that  of  might, 
with  an  additional  degree  of  resentment,  that  was  very 
fairly  proportioned  to  the  inward  consciousness  he  felt  that 
a  great  wrong  was  done  in  detaining  the  man  at  all.  There 
is  nothing  extraordinary  in  these  feelings;  a  very  common 
resource,  under  such  circumstances,  being  to  imagine  delin 
quencies  that  justify  us  to  ourselves,  by  endeavouring  to 


LE     PEU-FOLLET.  249 

believe  lhat  the  subject  of  any  act  of  our  oppression  at  least 
merits  the  infliction. 

"  Do  you  dare  to  deny  what  this  young  gentleman  has 
just  said,  sirrah?"  demanded  the  captain.  "I  now  remem 
ber  you,  myself;  you  are  Bolt,  the  fore-top-man,  that  ran 
at  Plymouth." 

"  You  'd  'a  run,  too,  Captain  CufFe,  had  you  been  in  my 
place,  had  the  ship  been  at  Jericho." 

"Enough  —  no  impudence,  sir.  Send  for  the  master-at- 
arms,  Mr.  Griffin,  and  have  the  fellow  ironed :  to-morrow 
we  '11  look  into  the  affair." 

These  orders  were  obeyed,  and  Ithuel  was  removed  to  the 
place  where  the  masler-at-arms  usually  reigns  on  board 
ship.  Cuffe  now  gave  the  lieutenant  his  conge,  and  then 
withdrew  to  the  inmr-cabin,  to  prepare  a  despatch  for  the 
rear-admiral.  He  was  near  an  hour  writing  a  letter  to  his 
mind,  but  finally  succeeded.  Its  purport  was  as  follows. 
He  reported  the  capture  of  Raoul,  explaining  the  mode,  and 
the  circumstances  under  which  that  celebrated  privateers- 
man  had  fallen  into  his  hands.  He  then  asked  for  instruc 
tions  as  to  the  manner  in  which  he  was  to  dispose  of  his 
prisoner.  Having  communicated  this  important  fact,  he 
ventured  some  suggestions  as  to  the  probable  vicinity  of  the 
lugger,  and  the  hopes  he  entertained  of  being  able  to  find 
out  her  precise  situation,  through  the  agency  of  Bolt,  whose 
condition  he  also  explained,  hinting  at  the  same  time  the 
expediency  of  bringing  both  delinquents  to  as  speedy  trials 
as  possible,  as  the  most  certain  manner  of  using  their  appre 
hensions  in  seizing  le  Feu-Follet.  The  letter  concluded 
with  an  earnest  request  that  another  frigate,  which  was 
mentioned,  her  captain  being  junior  to  Cuffe,  and  a  fast-sail 
ing  sloop  that  was  lying  off  Naples,  might  be  sent  down  to 
assist  him  in  "  heading  off"  the  lugger,  as  he  feared  the 
latter  was  too  swift  to  be  overtaken  by  the  Proserpine  alone 
more  especially  in  the  light  winds  which  prevailed. 

When  this  letter  was  written,  addressed  and  sealed,  Cuffe 
went  on  deck,  again.  It  was  now  nine  o'clock,  or  two  bells, 
and  Winchester  had  the  quarter-deck  nearly  to  himself.  All 
was  as  tranquil  and  calm  on  the  deck  of  that  fine  frigate, 
as  a  moonlight  night,  a  drowsy  watch,  a  light  wind,  and 
smooth  water  could  render  things,  in  a  bay  like  that  of  Na 


250  LB     FEU-FOLLET. 

pies.  Gleamings  of  fire  were  occasionally  seen  over  "Vesu 
vius,  but  things  in  that  direction  looked  misty  and  mysterious, 
though  Capri  loomed  up,  dark  and  grand,  a  few'miles  to- 
leeward,  and  Ischia  was  visible,  a  confused  but  distant  pile 
on  the  lee-bow.  An  order  from  Cuffe,  however,  set  every 
body  in  motion.  Yard  and  stay-tackles  were  overhauled, 
and  hooked  on,  the  boatswam's-mate  piped  the  orders,  and 
the  first-cutter  was  hoisted  over  the  waist-cloths,  and  low. 
ered  into  the  water.  "  Away,  there,  you  first-cutters,"  had 
been  hoarsely  called  on  the  berth-deck,  and  the  crew  were 
ready  to  enter  the  boat,  by  the  time  the  latter  was  lowered. 
The  masts  were  stepped,  Roller  appeared,  in  a  pee-jacket, 
tc  guard  against  the  night  air,  and  Cuffe  gave  him  his  in 
structions. 

"  Set  your  sails,  and  stretch  over  under  the  north  shore, 
Mr.  Roller,"  said  the  captain,  who  stood  in  the  lee-gangway, 
to  give  a  last  word.  "  You  will  fetch  in  about  Queen  Joan's 
Palace.  There,  you  had  better  take  to  your  oars,  and  pull 
up  along  the  land.  Remember,  sir,  to  join  us  by  the  first 
ship  that  comes  out ;  and,  if  none  is  sent,  to  come  down  with 
the  morning  breeze,  in  the  boat." 

Roller  gave  the  customary  "  ay,  ay,  sir ;"  the  boat  shoved 
off;  as  soon  as  from  under  the  lee  of  the  ship,  the  luges 
were  set,  and  half  an  hour  later,  the  night  had  swallowed 
up  her  form.  Cuffe  remained  an  hour  longer,  walking  the 
deck  with  his  first-lieutenant,  and  then,  satisfied  that  the 
night  would  prove  propitious,  he  went  below,  leaving  orders 
to  keep  the  ship  lying-to,  until  morning. 

As  for  Roller,  he  pulled  alongside  of  the  Foudroyanl,  just 
as  the  bells  of  the  fleet  were  striking  eight,  or  at  midnight. 
Nelson  was  still  up,  writing  in  his  cabin.  The  despatch 
was  delivered,  and  then  the  secretary  of  the  admiral,  with 
a  clerk  or  two,  were  called  from  their  berths,  for  nothing 
lagged  that  this  active-minded  man  had  in  charge.  Orders 
were  written,  copied,  signed,  and  sent  to  different  ships,  by 
two  o'clock,  in  order  that  the  morning  breeze  might  not  be 
lost ;  and  then,  and  not  till  then,  did  the  employes  think  of 
rest. 

Roller  left  the  flag-ship  at  two,  having  eaten  a  hearty  sup 
per  in  Nelson's  own  cabin,  and  repaired  on  board  the  Terp 
sichore,  a  smart  little  frigate  of  thirty-two  guns,  twelve- 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  251 

pounders,  with  instructions  to  her  captain  to  receive  him. 
Two  hours  later,  this  ship,  in  company  with  another  still 
smaller,  the  Ringdove,  18,  left  her  anchorage,  under  a  cloud 
of  canvass,  and  stood  down  the  bay,  carrying  studding-sails 
on  both  sides,  with  a  light  wind  at  north-west,  heading  to 
wards  Capri. 


CHAPTER  XVII.     .  ./ 

"  Speak  to  the  business,  Master  Secretary : 
Why  are  we  met  in  council  ?" 

King  Henry  VIII 

WHEN  the  idlers  of  the  Proserpine  appeared  on  deck  the 
following  morning,  the  ship  was  about  a  league  to-windward 
of  Capri,  having  forged  well  over  towards  the  north  side  of 
the  bay,  during  the  night,  wore  round,  and  got  thus  far  back 
on  the  other  tack.  From  the  moment  light  returned,  look 
outs  had  been  aloft  with  glasses,  examining  every  nook  and 
corner  of  the  bay,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  any  signs 
of  the  lugger  were  to  be  seen,  under  its  bold  and  picturesque 
shore.  So  great  is  the  extent  of  this  beautiful  basin,  so 
grand  the  natural  objects  which  surround  it,  and  so  clear 
the  atmosphere,  that  even  the  largest  ships  loom  less  than 
usual  on  its  waters ;  and  it  would  have  been  a  very  possible 
thing  for  le  Feu-Follet  to  anchor  near  some  of  the  landings, 
and  lie  there  unnoticed  for  a  week,  by  the  fleet  above,  un 
less  tidings  were  carried  to  the  latter  by  observers  on  the 
shore. 

CufFe  was  the  last  to  come  on  deck,  six  bells,  or  seven 
o'clock,  striking,  as  the  occupants  of  the  quarter-deck  first 
lifted  their  hats  to  him.  He  glanced  around  him,  and  then 
turned  towards  Griffin,  who  was  now  officer  of  the  watch. 

"  I  see  two  ships  coming  down  the  bay,  Mr.  Griffin,"  ho 
said — "  no  signals  yet,  I  suppose,  sir?" 

"  Certainly  not,  sir,  or  they  would  have  been  reported. . 


252  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

We  make  out  the  frigate  to  be  the  Terpsichore,  and  the 
sloop,  I  know  by  her  new  royals,  is  the  Ringdove.  The 
first  ship,  Captain  CufFe,  brags  of  being  able  to  travel  faster 
than  anything  within  the  Straits !" 

"  I  '11  bet  a  month's  pay  the  Few-Folly  walks  away  from 
her,  on  a  bow-line,  ten  knots  to  her  nine.  If  she  can  do  that 
with  the  Proserpine,  she  '11  at  least  do  that  with  Mistress 
Terpsichore.  There  goes  a  signal  from  the  frigate  now,  Mr. 
Griffin,  though  a  conjuror  could  hardly  read  it,  tailing  directly 
on  as  it  does.  Well,  quarter-master,  what  do  you  make  it 
out  to  be  ?" 

"  It 's  the  Terpsichore's  number,  sir ;  and  the  other  ship 
has  just  made  the  Ringdove's." 

"  Show  ours,  and  keep  a  sharp  look-out ;  there  '11  be 
something  else  to  tell  us  presently." 

In  a  few  minutes,  the  Terpsichore  expressed  a  wish  tt> 
speak  the  Proserpine,  when  Cuffe  filled  his  main-top-sail,  and 
hauled  close  upon  a  wind.  An  hour  later,  the  three  ships 
passed  within  hail  of  each  other,  when  both  the  junior  com 
manders  lowered  their  gigs  and  came  on  board  the  Proser 
pine  to  report.  Roller  followed  in  the  first-cutter,  which  had 
been  towed  down  by  the  Terpsichore. 

The  Terpsichore  was  commanded  by  Captain  Sir  Frede 
rick  Dashwood,  a  lively  young  baronet,  who  preferred  tho 
active  life  of  a  sailor,  to  indolence  and  six  thousand  a  year 
on  shore ;  and  who  had  been  rewarded  for  his  enterprise  by 
promotion  and  a  fast  frigate,  at  the  early  age  of  two-and- 
twenty.  The  Ringdove  was  under  a  master-commandant, 
of  the  name  of  Lyon,  who  was  just  sixty  years  old,  having 
worked  his  way  up  to  his  present  rank  by  dint  of  long  and 
arduous  services,  owing  his  last  commission  and  his  com 
mand  to  the  accident  of  having  been  a  first-lieutenant  at  the 
battle  of  Cape  St.  Vincent.  Both  these  gentlemen  appeared 
simultaneously  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Proserpine,  where 
they  were  duly  received  by  the  captain  and  all  the  assem 
bled  officers. 

"  Good  morrow  to  you,  Cuffe,"  said  Dashwood,  giving  the 
other  the  tip  of  his  fingers,  as  soon  as  the  ceremonious  part 
of  the  reception  was  over  ;  and  casting  a  glance,  half-admi 
ring,  half-critical,  at  the  appearance  of  things  on  deck  — 


LE     FEU-FOLLET  253 

"  What  has  Nelson  sent  us  down  here  about,  this  fine  morn 
ing,  and  —  ha  !  —  how  long  have  you  had  those  brass  orna 
ments  on  ^our  capstan? 

"  They  were  only  put  there  yesterday,  Sir  Frederick  ;  a 
"little  slush-money  did  it  all." 

"  Has  Nelson  seen  them  ?  I  rather  fancy  not — they  tell 
me  he 's  as  savage  as  an  Arab  about  knick-knackery,  now- 
a-days.  What  an  awkward  job  that  was  yesterday  after 
noon,  by  the  way,  CufFe !" 

"  It  has  been  a  bad  business,  and,  as  an  old  Agamemnon, 
I  would  give  a  year's  rank  that  it  never  had  taken  place." 

"  A  year's  rank  ! — that 's  a  great  deal ;  a  year  would  set 
me  back,  hard  aground  alongside  of  old  Lyon,  here.  I  was 
a  lieutenant  less  than  three  years  since,  and  couldn't  afford 
half  a  year.  But  all  you  old  Agamemnons  think  as  much 
of  your  little  Ncl.  as  if  he  were  a  pretty  girl ;  isn't  it  true, 
Lyon?" 

"  I  dare  say  it  may  be,  Sir  Frederick,"  answered  Lyon  ; 
"  and  if  you  had  been  the  first-lieutenant  of  a  two-decker, 
off  Cape  St.  Vincent,  on  the  14th  February,  1797,  you  would 
have  thought  as  much  of  him,  too.  Here  we  were,  only 
fifteen  sail  in  all, — that  is,  of  vessels  of  the  line — with  the 
wind  at — " 

"  Oh,  hang  your  battle,  Lyon,  I  've  heard  all  that,  at  least 
seventeen  times !" 

"  Well,  if  ye  haave,  Sir  Frederick,"  returned  Lyon,  who 
was  a  Scotchman,  "  it  '11  be  just  once  a  year  since  ye  war1 
born,  leaving  out  the  time  ye  war'  in  the  nursery.  But 
we  've  not  come  here  to  enlighten  Captain  Cuffe  in  these 
particulars,  so  much  as  in  obedience  to  an  order  of  the  rear- 
admiral's —  little  Nel.  as  ye '11  be  calling  him,  I  suppose, 
Sir  Frederick  Dashwood  ?" 

"  Nay,  it 's  you  old  Agamemnons,  or  old  fellows,  who 
gave  him  that  name  — " 

"  Ye  '11  please  to  excuse  me,  sir,"  interrupted  Lyon,  a  lit 
tle  dogmatically — "  ye've  never  heard  me  call  him  anything 
but  my  lord,  since  His  Majesty,  God  bless  him !  was  gra 
ciously  pleased  to  elevate  him  to  the  peerage  —  nothing-  but 
*  my  lord,'  and  the  '  rear-admiral ;'  naval  rank  being  entitled 
to  its  privileges  even  on  the  throne.  Many  a  king  has  been 
a  colonel,  and  I  see  no  disparagement  in  one's  being  an 
22 


254  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

admiral.  Won't  ye  be  thinking,  Captain  Cuffe,  that  since 
my  lord  is  made  Duke  of  Bronte,  he  is  entitled  to  be  culled 
*  Your  Grace' — all  the  Scottish  dukes  are  so  designated,  and 
I  see  no  reason  why  the  rear-admiral  should  not  have  hia 
just  dues,  as  well  as  the  best  of  them." 

"  Let  him  aVone  for  that,"  said  CufFe,  laughing ;  "  Nel. 
will  look  out  for  himself,  as  well  as  for  the  king.  But,  gen 
tlemen,  I  suppose  you  have  not  come  down  here  merely  for 
a  morning  walk  —  have  I  any  reports  to  hear  ?" 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Captain  Cuffe,  but  I  was  really  for- 
getting  my  errand,"  answered  Dashwood.  "  Here  are  your 
orders  for  you,  and  we  are  both  directed  to  report  to  you. 
The  lieutenant  who  brought  the  package  aboard  me,  said 
there  would  be  a  spy  to  try,  and  a  lugger  to  catch.  Did  they 
tell  you  anything  of  this  matter,  Lyon  ?" 

"  No,  Sir  Frederick ;  not  being  inquisitive,  I  hear  but  little 
of  what  is  going  on  in  the  fleet.  My  orders  are  to  report 
myself  and  ship  to  Captain  Cuffe,  for  service,  which  I  have 
the  honour  now  to  do." 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  here  are  further  instructions  for  you. 
This  is  an  order  to  hold  a  court,  composed  of  Captain  Rich 
ard  Cuffe,  of  the  Proserpine,  president ;  Captain  Sir  Frederick 
Dashwood,  Bart.,  of  the  Terpsichore,  &c.  &c. ;  and  Lyon, 
Winchester,  and  Spriggs,  your  first-lieutenant,  Sir  Frede 
rick,  for  the  trials  of  Raoul  Yvard,  a  French  citizen,  on  the 
charge  of  being  a  spy,  and  Ithuel  Bolt,  seaman,  &c.,  on  the 
charge  of  being  a  deserter.  Here  is  everything  in  rule,  and 
there  are  your  respective  orders,  gentlemen." 

"  Bless  me,  I  'd  no  notion  of  this !"  exclaimed  Lyon,  who 
was  greatly  averse  to  this  part  of  an  officer's  duty.  "  I  'd 
thought  it  aitogither  a  trial  of  speed  after  a  Frenchman,  for 
which  purpose,  the  rear-admiral,  or  my  lord,  or  his  grace, 
whichever  it  may  be  right  to  call  him,  had  seen  fit  to  bring 
three  of  his  fastest  ships  together." 

"  I  wish  it  was  nothing  but  the  last,  Captain  Lyon  ;  but 
we  have  the  disagreeable  duty  of  trying  a  spy  and  a  deserter, 
before  us.  You  will  return  to  your  ships,  gentlemen,  and 
follow  us  in  to  an  anchorage.  I  intend  to  bring  up,  at  a 
single  anchor,  under  the  shore  at  Capri,  where  we  can  lie 
during  the  calm,  and  get  through  with  our  courts.  The 
cases  will  be  clear,  and  not  detain  us  long,  and  we  can  send 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  255 

look-outs  up  on  the  heights  to  examine  the  sea  and  the  coast 
outside.  In  the  meantime,  we  must  be  busy  lest  we  lose  the 
breeze.  You  will  attend  to  the  signal  for  the  court." 

At  this  order  the  two  visiters  got  into  their  boats,  and  the 
Proserpine  again  filled.  The  three  vessels  now  made  the 
best  of  their  way  towards  the  point  of  destination,  anchoring 
off  the  town,  or  village,  in  the  island  of  Capri,  just  as  two 
bells  struck.  Ten  minutes  later,  the  Proserpine  fired  a  gunf 
and  ran  up  the  flag  which  denotes  the  sitting  of  a  court- 
martial. 

Although  it  has  not  been  deemed  necessary  to  relate  them, 
the  reader  will  understand  that  all  the  details  required  by 
the  law,  had  been  observed,  as  regards  these  trials ;  the 
promptitude  of  the  proceedings  being  partly  characteristic 
of  the  decision  of  the  admiral,  but  more  in  consequence  of  a 
wish  to  use  the  charges  against  the  delinquents,  as  a  means 
of  seizing  the  true  hero  of  our  tale,  the  little  Feu-Follet. 
While  a  mistaken,  not  to  say  a  mawkish  philanthropy, 
is  unsettling  so  many  of  the  ancient  land-marks  of  society, 
and,  among  other  heresies,  is  preaching  the  doctrine  that 
"  the  object  of  punishment  is  the  reformation  of  the  crimi 
nal,"  it  is  a  truth  which  all  experience  confirms  that  nothing 
renders  justice  so  terrible,  and  consequently  so  efficient,  as 
its  promptitude  and  certainty.  When  all  its  requirements 
are  observed,  the  speediest  exercise  of  its  functions  is  the 
most  conducive  to  the  protection  of  society,  the  real  motive 
for  the  existence  of  all  human  regulations  of  this  nature; 
and  it  is  a  great  merit  of  the  much-abused  English  ordi 
nances,  that  the  laws  are  rarely  made  stalking-horses  for  the 
benefit  of  the  murderer  or  the  forger ;  but,  that  once  fairly 
tried  and  convicted,  the  expiation  of  their  crimes  awaits  the 
offenders  with  a  certainty  and  energy  that  leave  the  impres 
sion  on  the  community  that  punishments  were  intended  to 
produce.  That  this  people  has  done  well  in  liberating  itself 
from  many  of  their  inherited  usages  and  laws,  is  as  certain 
as  that  one  age  has  interests  different  from  another ;  one  set 
of  circumstances,  governing  principles  at  variance  with  those 
which  preceded  them  ;  but,  it  would  be  well,  also,  to  remem 
ber,  that,  while  moral  changes  are  as  necessary  as  physical 
exercise,  there  are  truths  that  are  eternal,  and  rules  of  righl 


256  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

and  prudence,  which  can  never  be  departed  from  with  im« 
punity. 

When  the  members  of  the  court  mentioned,  assembled  in 
the  cabin  of  the  Proserpine,  it  was  with  all  the  forms  and 
exterior  observances  that  were  necessary  to  command 
respect.  The  officers  were  in  full  dress,  the  oaths  were 
administered  with  solemnity,  the  table  was  arranged  with 
taste,  and  an  air  of  decent  gravity  reigned  over  all.  Little 
time,  however,  was  lost  unnecessarily,  and  the  officer  to 
whom  had  been  assigned  the  duty  of  prevot-marshal,  was 
directed  to  produce  his  prisoners. 

Raoul  Yvard  and  Ithuel  Bolt  were  brought  into  the  cabin 
at  the  same  moment,  though  they  came  from  different  parts 
of  the  ship,  and  were  allowed  to  hold  no  communication 
with  each  other.  When  both  were  present,  they  were 
arraigned,  and  the  accusations  were  read  to  them.  Raoul 
having  admitted  his  knowledge  of  English,  no  interpreter 
was  sworn,  but  the  proceedings  were  had  in  the  usual  man 
ner.  As  it  was  intended  to  try  the  Frenchman  first,  and 
Ithuel  might  be  wanted  as  a  witness,  the  latter  was  taken 
out  of  the  cabin  again,  courts-martial  never  permitting  one 
witness  to  hear  what  another  has  testified,  although  an  inge 
nious  substitute  for  ears  has  been  adopted  of  late,  by  pub 
lishing  in  the  journals,  from  day  to  day,  whatever  passes, 
when  the  length  of  the  proceedings  will  admit  of  such  a 
device. 

"  We  will  now  swear  the  Signor  Andrea  Barrofaldi," 
commenced  the  Judge  Advocate,  as  soon  as  the  prelimina 
ries  were  observed.  "  This  is  a  Catholic  bible,  sir,  and  I 
will  put  the  oaths  in  Italian,  if  you  will  have  the  goodness 
first  to  swear  me  in  as  an  interpreter." 

This  was  done,  when  the  oath  was  duly  administered  to 
the  vice-go vernatore.  Then  came  a  few  questions  as  to  the 
station,  country,  &c.,  of  the  witness,  after  which  more  ma 
terial  matter  was  inquired  into. 

"  Signor  Vice-Governatore,  do  you  know  the  prisoner  by 
sight  ?"  demanded  the  Judge  Advocate. 

"  Si ;  I  have  had  the  honour  to  receive  him  in  my  resi 
dence  in  the  island  of  Elba." 

"  Under  what  name  and  circumstances  was  he  known  to 
you,  Signore  ?" 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  257 

"  Eh — he  called  himself  Sir  Smees,  a  capitano  in  the  ser 
vice  of  the  English  king." 

"What  vessel  did  he  pretend  to  command'.'" 

"  Ze  Ving-y-Vin£ — a  lugger,  which  I  have  since  had  rea 
son  to  think  is  le  Feu-Follet,  a  corsair  under  the  French 
flag.  Monsieur  did  me  the  favour  to  make  two  visits  to 
Porto  Ferrajo,  in  the  character  of  Sir  Smees." 

"  And  you  now  know  that  this  is  Raoul  Yvard,  the  Frencn 
privateersman  you  have  mentioned  ?" 

"  Eh — know  ? — I  know  they  say  this  is  the  Signer  Yvard, 
and  that  ze  Ving-y-Ving  is  le  Feu-Follet." 

"  They  say-,  will  not  do,  Signer  Barrofaldi.  Can  you  no 
say  this  much  of  your  own  knowledge  7" 

"Non,  Signore." 

The  court  was  now  cleared  ;  when  it  re-opened,  Vito  Viti 
was  sent  for,  and  properly  sworn,  his  attention  being  par 
ticularly  directed  to  the  cross  on  the  back  of  the  book. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  the  prisoner,  before  this  occasion, 
Signer  Viti,"  demanded  the  Judge  Advocate,  after  the  pre 
liminary  questions  had  been  put. 

"  Signore,  oftener  than  it  is  agreeable  to  remember.  I  do 
not  think  that  two  grave  magistrates  were  ever  more  mysti 
fied,  than  were  the  vice-governatore  and  myself!  Eh— h— h — • 
Signori,  the  wisest  sometimes  become  like  sucking  children, 
when  there  passes  a  mist  before  the  understanding." 

"  Relate  the  circumstances  under  which  this  occurred,  to 
the  court,  Signer  Podesta." 

"  Why,  Signori,  the  facts  were  just  these.  Andrea  Bar 
rofaldi,  as  you  know,  is  the  vice-governatore  of  Porto  Fer 
rajo,  and  I  am  its  unworthy  podesta.  Of  course,  it  is  our 
duty  to  look  into  all  matters  affecting  the  public  weal,  and 
more  especially  into  the  business  and  occupations  of  strangers 
vho  come  into  our  island.  Well,  it  is  now  three  weeks  or 
more  since  a  lugger,  or  felucca,  was  seen  — " 

"Which  was  it,  a  felucca,  or  a  lugger?"  demanded  the 
Judge  Advocate,  holding  his  pen  ready  to  write  the  answer. 

"  Both,  Signore  ;  a  felucca  and  a  lugger." 

"  A.h — there  were  two ;  a  felucca  and  a  lugger." 

"  No,  Signore — but  this  felucca  was  a  lugger.    Tommaso 
Tonti  wished  to  mystify  me  about  that,  too ;  but  I  have  not 
been  podesta  in  a  ser.-port,  so  many  years,  for  nothing.    No, 
22* 


258  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

Signori,  there  are  all  sorts  of  feluccas — ship-feluccas,  brig- 
feluccas,  and  lugger-feluccas." 

When  this  answer  was  translated,  the  members  of  tho 
court  smiled,  while  Raoul  Yvard  fairly  laughed. 

"Well,  Signer  Podesta,"  resumed  the  Judge  Advocate — 
"  the  prisoner  came  into  Porto  Ferrajo  in  a  lugger?" 

"  So  it  was  said,  Signore.  I  did  not  see  him  actually  on 
board  of  her,  but  he  professed  to  be  the  commander  of  a 
certain  vessel,  in  the  service  of  the  King  of  Inghilterra, 
called  ze  Ving-y-Ving,  and  said  that  his  own  name  was 
Smees — si — il  capitano,  or  Sir  Smees." 

"  Professed? — Do  you  not  know  that  this  lugger  was  the 
notorious  French  privateer,  le  Feu-Follet  ?" 

I  know  they  say  so,  now,  Signori ;  but  the  vice-governa- 
tore  and  I  supposed  her  to  be  ze  Ving-y-Ving." 

'*  And  do  you  not  know  that  the  prisoner  is  actually  Raoul 
Yvard  ;  of  your  own  knowledge,  I  mean  ?" 

"  Corpo  di  Bacco ! — How  should  I  know  any  such  thing, 
Signer  Guideca-Avvocato,"  exclaimed  Vito  Viti,  who  lite 
rally  translated  what  he  understood  to  be  the  title  of  his 
interrogator,  thereby  converting  him  into  a  sort  of  ship- 
felucca  —  "  how  should  I  know  any  such  thing !  I  do  not 
keep  company  with  corsairs,  except  when  they  come  upon 
our  island  and  call  themselves  {  Sir  Smees.' " 

The  Judge  Advocate  and  the  members  of  the  court 
looked  gravely  at  each  other.  No  one  in  the  least  doubted 
that  the  prisoner  was  Raoul  Yvard,  but  it  was  necessary 
legally  to  prove  it,  before  he  could  be  condemned.  Cuffe 
was  now  asked  if  the  prisoner  had  not  confessed  his  own 
identity,  but  no  one  could  say  he  had  done  so  in  terms, 
although  much  of  his  conversation  would  seem  to  imply  as 
much.  In  a  word,  justice  was  like  to  be  in  what  is  by  no 
means  an  unusual  dilemma  for  that  upright  functionary ; 
viz. — unable  to  show  a  fact  that  no  one  doubted.  At  length 
Cuffe  recollected  Ghita  and  Ithuel,  and  he  wrote  their  names 
on  a  piece  of  paper,  and  passed  them  down  the  table  to  the 
Judge  Advocate.  The  latter  nodded  his  head,  as  much  as 
to  say  he  understood  the  president's  meaning ;  and  then  he 
told  the  prisoner  he  might  cross-examine  the  witness,  if  he 
saw  fit. 

Raoul  fully  understood  his  situation.     Although  he  oer- 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  259 

tainly  had  not  entered  the  Bay  of  Naples  with  any  of  the 
ordinary  views  of  a  spy.  he  was  aware  how  far  he  had  com 
mitted  himself,  and  foresaw  the  readiness  with  which  his 
enemies  would  destroy  him,  could  they  find  the  legal  means 
of  so  doing.  He  also  comprehended  the  dilemma  in  which 
his  accusers  were  placed  for  the  want  of  testimony,  and,  at 
once,  resolved  to  turn  the  circumstance  as  much  as  possible 
to  his  advantage.  Until  that  moment,  the  idea  of  denying 
his  own.  identity  had  never  crossed  his  mind ,-  but  perceiving 
what  he  fancied  an  opening  for  escape,  it  was  but  natural 
to  avail  himself  of  its  protection.  Turning,  then,  to  the 
podesta,  he  put  his  questions  in  English,  that  they  might  go 
fairly  through  the  same  process  of  interpretation  as  the  rest 
of  the  examination. 

"  You  say,  Signer  Podesta,"  he  commenced,  "  that  you 
saw  me  in  the  town  of  Porto  Ferrajo,  and  in  the  island  of 
Elba?" 

"  Si — in  which  town  I  have  the  honour  to  be  one  of  the 
authorities." 

"  You  say  I  professed  to  command  a  vessel  in  the  service 
of  the  King  of  England;  a  felucca,  called  ze  Ving-and- 
Ving?" 

"  Si — ze  Ving-y-Ving — the  commander  of  that  felucca." 

"  I  understood  you  to  say,  Mr.  Podesta,"  put  in  Lyon, 
"  that  the  craft  was  a  lugger?" 

"  A  felucca-lugger,  Signer  Capitano  —  nothing  more  nor 
less  than  that,  on  my  honour*" 

"  And  all  these  honourable  officers  well  know,"  observed 
Raoul,  ironically,  "  that  a  felucca-lugger,  and  a  lugger,  such 
as  le  Feu-Follet  is  understood  to  be,  are  very  different  things. 
Now,  Signore,  you  have  never  heard  me  say  that  I  am  a 
Frenchman  ?" 

"  Non — you  have  not  been  so  weak  as  to  confess  that  to 
one  who  hates  the  name  of  the  Franqese.  Cospetto  !  —  If 
all  the  Grand  Duke's  subjects  detested  his  enemies  as  I  do, 
he  would  be  the  most  powerful  prince  in  Italy !" 

"  No  doubt,  Signore ;  and,  now,  suffer  me  to  inquire  if 
you  heard  any  other  name  for  that  felucca,  than  ze  Ving« 
and-Ving.  Did  I  ever  call  her  le  Feu-Follet  ?" 

«  Non  —  always  ze  Ving-y-Ving ;  never  anything  else  ; 
Vut-" 


260  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"  Your  pardon,  Signore  ;  have  the  goodness  to  answer  my 
questions.  I  called  the  felucca  ze  Ving-and-Ving ;  and  I 
called  myself  le  capitaine  Smect ;  is  it  not  true?" 

"Si —  Ving-y-Ving  and  il  capitano  Smees — Sir  Smees  ; 
a  signore  of  an  illustrious  English  family  of  that  name,  if  I 
remember  right." 

Raoul  smiled,  for  he  was  confident  this  notion  proceeded 
principally  from  the  self-illusion  of  the  two  Kalians,  them 
selves  ;  the  little  he  had  said  on  the  subject,  having  been 
drawn  out  more  by  their  suggestions  than  by  any  design 
on  his  part.  Still,  he  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  contradict 
the  podesta,  who,  as  yet,  had  testified  to  nothing  that  could 
possibly  criminate  him. 

"  If  a  young  man  has  the  vanity  to  wish  to  be  thought 
noble,"  answered  Raoul,  calmly,  "  it  may  prove  his  folly, 
but  it  does  not  prove  him  a  spy.  You  did  not  hear  me  con 
fess  myself  a  Frenchman,  you  say :  now  did  you  not  hear 
me  say  I  was  born  in  Guernsey  ?" 

"  Si — the  Signore  did  say  that  the  family  of  Smees  came 
from  that  island  —  as  the  vice-governatore  calls  it,  though  I 
acknowledge  I  never  heard  of  such  an  island.  There  are 
Sicilia,  Sardegna,  Elba,  Caprea,  Ischia,  Irlanda,  Inghilterra, 
Scozia,  Malta,  Capraya,  Pianosa,  Gorgona,  and  America, 
with  several  more  in  the  east ;  but  I  never  heard  of  such  an 
island  as  Guernsey.  Si,  Signore ;  we  are  humble  people, 
and  I  hope  modest  people  in  the  island  of  Elba,  but  we  do 
know  something  of  the  rest  of  the  world,  notwithstanding. 
If  you  wish  to  hear  these  matters  touched  on  ingeniously, 
however,  you  will  do  well  to  call  in  the  vice-governatore, 
for  -half  an  hour,  and  invite  him  to  open  his  stores  of  know 
ledge.  San  Antonio  !  —  I  doubt  if  Italy  has  his  equal — at 
islands,  in  particular." 

"  Good,"  continued  Raoul ;  "  and  now  tell  these  officers, 
Signore  Podesta,  if  you  can  say,  on  your  oath,  that  I  had 
anything  to  do  with  that  felucca,  ze  Ving-and-Ving,  at  all." 

"  I  cannot,  Signore,  except  from  your  own  words.  You 
were  dressed  like  one  of  these  officers,  here,  in  an  English 
uniform,  and  said  you  commanded  ze  Ving-y-Ving.  While 
speaking  of  islands,  Signori,  I  forgot  Palmavola  and  Ponza, 
both  of  which  we  passed  in  this  ship,  on  our  voyage  from 
Elba." 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  261 

'Good  —  it  is  always  well  to  be  particular  under  oath. 
Now,  Signor  Podesta,  the  result  of  all  your  evidence  is, 
that  you  do  not  know  that  the  felucca  you  mention  was  le 
Feu-Follet,  that  I  am  a  Frenchman  even,  much  less  that  I 
am  Raoul  Yvard,  and  that  I  told  you  I  was  from  Guernsey, 
and  that  my  name  was  Jaques  Smeet  —  is  it  not  sol" 

"  Si  — you  did  say  your  name  was  Giac  Smces,  and  you 
did  riot  say  you  were  Raoul  Yvard.  But,  Signore,  I  saw 
you  firing  your  cannon  at  the  boats  of  this  frigate,  with 
French  colours  flying,  and  that  is  some  signs  of  an  enemy, 
as  we  understand  these  matters,  in  Porto  Ferrajo." 

Raoul  felt  that  this  was  a  direct  blow;  still,  it  wanted  the 
connecting  link  to  make  it  testimony. 

"  But  you  did  not  see  me  doing  this?  —  You  mean  you 
saw  ze  Ving-and-Ving  in  a  combat  with  the  frigate's  boats." 

"  Si — that  was  it — but  you  told  me  you  were  commander 
of  ze  Ving-y-Ving." 

"  Let  us  understand  you,"  put  in  the  Judge  Advocate  — 
"  is  it  the  intention  of  the  prisoner  to  deny  his  being  a 
Frenchman  and  an  enemy  ?" 

"  It  is  my  intention,  sir,  to  deny  everything  that  is  not 
proved." 

"  But  your  accent — your  English — nay,  your  appearance, 
show  that  you  are  a  Frenchman." 

"  Your  pardon,  sir.  There  are  many  nations  that  speak 
French,  which  are  not  French,  to-day.  All  along  the  north 
frontier  of  France,  is  French  spoken  by  foreigners — Savoy, 
and  Geneva,  and  Vaud  —  also,  the  English  have  French 
subjects  in  the  Canadas,  besides  Guernsey  and  Jersey.  You 
will  not  hang  a  man  because  his  accent  is  not  from  London?" 

"  We  shall  do  you  justice,  prisoner,"  observed  Cuffe, 
"  and  you  shall  have  the  benefit  of  every  doubt  that  makes 
in  your  favour.  Still,  it  may  be  well  to  inform  you  that  tho 
impression  of  your  being  a  Frenchman  and  Raoul  Yvard,  is 
very  strong ;  and  if  you  can  show  the  contrary,  you  would 
do  well  to  prove  it,  by  direct  testimony." 

"  How  will  this  honourable  court  expect  that  to  be  done? 
i  was  taken  in  a  boat,  last  night,  and  am  tried,  this  morn 
ing,  at  a  notice  as  short  as  that  which  was  given  to  Carac- 
cioli.  Give  me  time  to  send  for  witnesses,  and  I  will  provj 
\vho  and  what  I  am." 


262  LE     PEU-FOLLET. 

This  was  said  coolly,  and  with  the  air  of  a  man  assured 
of  his  own  innocence,  and  it  produced  a  slight  effect  on  his 
judges  ;  for  an  appeal  to  the  unvarying  principles  of  right, 
seldom  falls  unheeded  on  the  ear.  Nevertheless,  there 
could  be  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of  the  officers  of  the  Proser 
pine,  in  particular,  either  as  to  the  character  of  the  lugger, 
or  as  to  that  of  the  prisoner ;  and  men,  under  such  circum 
stances,  were  not  likely  to  allow  an  enemy  who  had  done 
them  so  much  injury  to  escape.  The  appeal  only  rendered 
them  more  cautious,  and  more  determined  to  protect  them 
selves  against  any  charge  of  unfair  proceedings. 

"  Have  you  any  further  questions  to  put  to  the  witness, 
prisoner  ?"  inquired  the  president  of  the  court. 

"None,  at  present,  sir  —  we  will  go  on,  if  you  please, 
gentlemen." 

"  Call  Ithuel  Bolt,"  said  the  Judge  Advocate,  reading  the 
new  witness's  name  from  a  list  before  him. 

Raoul  started,  for  the  idea  of  the  American's  being  brought 
forward  in  this  capacity,  had  never  occurred  to  him.  In  a 
minute  Ithuel  appeared,  was  sworn,  and  took  his  place  at 
the  foot  of  the  table. 

"Your  name  is  Ithuel  Bolt?"  observed  the  Judge  Advo 
cate,  holding  his  pen  in  readiness  to  record  the  answer. 

"  So  they  say  aboard  here,"  answered  the  witness,  coolly 
—  "  though,  for  my  part,  I  've  no  answer  to  give  to  such  a 
question." 

"  Do  you  deny  your  name,  sir  ?" 

"  I  deny  nothing  —  want  to  say  nothing,  or  to  have  any 
thing  to  do  with  this  trial,  or  this  ship." 

Raoul  breathed  easier ;  for,  to  own  the  truth,  he  had  not 
much  confidence  in  Ithuel's  constancy,  or  disinterestedness ; 
and  he  apprehended  that  he  had  been  purchased,  with  the  pro 
mise  of  a  pardon  for  himself. 

"  You  will  remember  that  you  are  under  oath,  and  may 
be  punished  for  contumacy,  on  refusing  to  answer." 

"  I  've  some  gineral  idees  of  law,"  answered  Ithuel,  pass 
ing  his  hand  over  his  queue,  to  make  sure  it  was  right,  "  foi 
we  all  do  a  little  at  that  in  Ameriky.  I  practised  some  my 
self,  when  a  young  man,  though  it  was  only  afore  a  justice- 
peace.  We  used  to  hold  that  a  witness  needn't  answer  ag'in 
himself."  ' 


LE     FEU-FOLLET-  263 

"  Is  it,  then,  on  account  of  criminating  yourself,  that  you 
answer  thus  vaguely  V1 

'  "  I  decline  answering  that  question."  answered  Ithuel,  with 
an  air  of  dignity. 

"  Witness,  have  you  any  personal  knowledge  of  the  pri 
soner?" 

"  I  decline  answering  that  question,  too." 

"  Do  you  know  anything  of  such  a  person  as  Raoul 
Yvardl" 

"  What  if  I  do  ?  —  I  'm  a  native  American,  and  have  a 
right  to  form  acquaintances,  in  foreign  lands,  if  I  see  it 's  to 
my  interest,  or  it 's  agreeable  to  my  feelin's." 

"  Have  you  never  served  on  board  His  Majesty's  ships  ?" 

"  What  majesty  ? — There 's  no  majesty  in  Ameriky,  as  I 
know,  but  the  majesty  of  heaven." 

"  Remember  that  your  answers  are  all  recorded,  and  may 
tell  against  you,  on  some  other  occasion." 

"  Not  lawfully ;  a  witness  can't  be  made  to  give  answers 
that  tell  ag'in  himself." 

"  Certainly  not  made  to  do  it ;  still  he  may  do  it,  of  his 
own  accord." 

"  Then  it 's  the  duty  of  the  court  to  put  him  on  his  guard. 
I  Ve  heerd  that,  ag'in  and  ag'in,  in  Ameriky." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  a  vessel  called  le  Feu-Follet?" 

"  How,  in  natur',  is  a  mariner  to  tell  all  the  vessels  he 
may  happen  to  see  on  the  wide  ocean !" 

"  Did  you  ever  serve  under  the  French  flag  ?" 

"  I  decline  entering  at  all  into  my  private  affairs.  Being 
free,  I  'm  free  to  sarve  where  I  please." 

"  It  is  useless  to  ask  this  witness  any  further  questions," 
CufFe  quietly  observed.  "  The  man  is  well  known  in  this 
ship,  and  his  own  trial  will  most  probably  take  place  as 
soon  as  this  is  ended." 

The  Judge  Advocate  assented,  and  Ithuel  was  permitted 
to  withdraw,  his  contumacy  being  treated  with  the  indiffer 
ence  that  power  is  apt  to  exhibit  towards  weakness.  Still 
there  was  no  legal  proof  on  which  to  convict  the  prisoner. 
No  one  doubted  his  guilt,  and  there  were  the  strongest  rea 
sons,  short  of  a  downright  certainty,  for  supposing  that  he 
commanded  the  lugger  which  had  so  recently  fought  the 
boats  of  the  very  ship  in  which  the  court  was  sitting ;  but 


264  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

notwithstanding,  supposition  was  not  the  evidence  the  laws 
required ;  and  the  recent  execution  of  Caraccioli  had  made 
so  much  conversation,  that  few  would  condemn  without  see 
ing  their  justification  before  them.  Thipgs  were  really  get- 
ting  to  be  seriously  awkward,  and  the  court  Was  again 
cleared  for  the  purpose  of  consultation.  In  the  private  dis 
course  that  followed,  CufTe  stated  all  that  had  occurred, 
the  manner  in  which  Raoul  had  been  identified,  and  the 
probabilities  —  nay,  moral  certainties  of  the  case.  At  the 
same  time,  he  was  forced  to  allow,  that  he  possessed  no 
direct  evidence  that  the  lugger  he  had  chased  was  a  French 
man  at  all,  and  least  of  all  le  Feu-Follet.  It  is  true,  she 
had  worn  the  French  flag,  but  she  had  also  worn  the  Eng 
lish,  and  the  Proserpine  had  done  the  same  thing.  To  be 
sure,  the  lugger  had  fought  under  the  drapeau  tricolor, 
which  might  be  taken  as  a  strong  circumstance  against  her; 
but  it  was  not  absolutely  conclusive,  for  the  circumstances 
might  possibly  justify  deception  to  the  last  moment ;  and  he 
admitted  that  the  frigate,  herself,  had  appeared  to  fire  at  tne 
batteries,  under  the  same  ensign.  The  case  was  allowed 
to  be  embarrassing ;  and,  while  no  one  really  doubted  the 
identity  of  Raoul,  those  who  were  behind  the  curtains  greatly 
feared  they  might  be  compelled  to  adjourn  the  trial  for  want 
of  evidence,  instead  of  making  an  immediate  sentence  the 
means  of  getting  possession  of  the  lugger,  as  had  been 
hoped.  When  all  these  points  had  been  sufficiently  dis 
cussed,  and  Cuffe  had  let  his  brethren  into  his  view  of  the 
real  state  of  the  case,  he  pointed  out  a  course  that  he  still 
trusted  would  prove  effectual.  After  a  few  minutes  of  fur 
ther  deliberation  on  this  information,  the  doors  were  opened, 
and  the  court  resumed  its  public  sitting,  as  before. 

"  Let  a  young  woman  who  is  known  by  the  name  of 
Ghita,  be  brought  in,  next,"  said  the  Judge  Advocate,  con 
sulting  his  notes. 

Raoul  started,  and  a  shade  of  deep  concern  passed  over 
his  face ;  but  he-  soon  recovered,  and  seemed  unmoved. 
Ghita  and  her  uncle  had  been  taken  from  the  cabin  state 
room,  and  placed  below,  in  order  that  the  private  consulta 
tions  might  be  perfectly  secret,  and  it  was  necessary  to  wait 
a  few  minutes,  until  she  could  be  summoned.  These  past, 
the  door  opened  and  the  girl  entered  the  room.  She  cast  a 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  265 

glance  of  tender  coiuern  at  Raoul ;  but  the  novelty  of  her 
situation,  and  the  awful  character  of  an  oath  to  one  of  her 
sensitive  conscience  and  utter  inexperience,  soon  drew  her 
attention  entirely  to  the  scene  more  immediately  before  her. 
The  Judge  Advocate  explained  the  nature  of  the  oath  she 
was  required  to  take,  and  then  he  administered  it.  Had 
Ghita  been  taken  less  by  surprise,  or  had  she,  in  the  least, 
foreseen  the  consequences,  no  human  power  could  have 
induced  her  to  submit  to  be  sworn  ;  but,  ignorant  of  all  this, 
she  submitted  passively,  kissing  the  cross  with  reverence, 
and  even  offering  to  kneel  as  she  made  the  solemn  protesta 
tion.  All  this  was  painful  to  the  prisoner,  who  distinctly 
foresaw  the  consequences.  Still,  so  profound  was  his  reve 
rence  for  Ghita's  singleness  of  heart  and  mind,  that  he  would 
not  by  look  or  gesture,  in  any  manner  endeavour  to  under 
mine  that  sacred  love  of  truth,  which  he  knew  formed  the 
very  foundations  of  her  character.  She  was  accordingly 
sworn,  without  anything  occurring  to  alarm  her  affections, 
or  to  apprise  her  of  what  might  be  the  sad  result  of  the  act. 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 


M  Hie  ct  ubique  ?    Then  we  '11  shift  our  ground  :— 
Come  hither,  gentlemen, 
And  lay  your  hands  upon  my  sword : 
Swear  by  my  sword." 

Hamlet. 


"  YOUR  name  is  Ghita,"  commenced  the  Judge  Advocate, 
examining  his  memoranda  — "  Ghita  what?" 

"  Ghita  Caraccioli,  Signore,"  answered  the  girl,  in  a  voice 
so  gentle  and  sweet,  as  to  make  a  friend  of  every  listener. 

The  name,  however,  was  not  heard,  without  producing  a 
general  start,  and  looks  of  surprise  were  exchanged  among 
all  in  the  room ;  most  of  the  officers  of  the  ship  who  were 
not  on  duty  being  present  as  spectators. 
23 


266  I-E     FEU-FOLLET. 

"  Caraccioli,"  repeated  the  Judge  Advocate,  with  emphai 
sis.  "  That  is  a  great  name  in  Italy.  Do  you  assume  to 
belong  to  the  illustrious  house  which  bears  this  appellation?" 
"  Signore,  I  assume  to  own  nothing  that  is  illustrious, 
being  merely  an  humble  girl  who  lives  with  her  uncle,  in 
the  prince's  towers,  on  Monte  Argentaro." 

"  How  happens  it,  then,  that  you  bear  the  distinguished 
name  of  Caraccioli,  signorina  1" 

"  I  dare  say,  Mr.  Medford,"  observed  Cuffe,  in  English, 
of  course,  "  that  the  young  woman  doesn't  know  herself, 
whence  she  got  the  name.  These  matters  are  managed 
very  loosely  in  Italy." 

"  Signore,"  resumed  Ghita,  earnestly,  after  waiting  respect- 
fully  for  the  captain  to  get  through,  "  I  bear  the  name  of  my 
father,  as  is  usual  with  children ;  but,  it  is  a  name  on  which 
a  heavy  disgrace  has  fallen,  so  lately  as  yesterday  ;  his  father 
having  been  a  sight  for  the  thousands  of  Naples  to  gaze  on, 
as  his  aged  body  hung  at  the  yard  of  one  of  your  ships." 

"  And  do  you  claim  to  be  the  grand-daughter  of  that  un 
fortunate  admiral  ?" 

"  So  I  have  been  taught  to  consider  myself;  may  his  soul 
rest  in  a  peace  that  his  foes  would  not  grant  to  his  body  ! 
That  criminal,  as  you  doubtless  believe  him,  was  my  father's 
father,  though  few  knew  it  when  he  was  honoured  as  a 
prince  and  a  high  officer  of  the  king's." 

A  deep  silence  followed ;  the  singularity  of  the  circum 
stance,  and  the  air  of  truth  which  pervaded  the  manner  of 
Ihe  girl,  uniting  to  produce  a  profound  sensation, 

"  The  admiral  had  the  reputation  of  being  childless,"  ob 
served  CufFe,  in  an  under  tone.  "  Doubtless  this  girl's  father 
has  been  the  consequence  of  some  irregular  connection." 

"  If  there  has  been  a  promise,  or  any  words  of  recogni 
tion  uttered  before  witnesses,"  muttered  Lyon,  "  accordin' 
to  the  laws  of  Scotland,  issue,  and  a  few  pairtenant  expres 
sions,  will  splice  a  couple  as  strongly  as  ye '11  be  doing  it  in 
England,  before  either  of  the  archbishops." 

"  As  this  is  Italy,  it  is  not  probable  that  the  same  law 
rules  here.  Proceed,  Mr.  Judge  Advocate." 

"  Well,  Ghita  Caraccioli — if  that  be  your  name — I  wish 
to  know  if  you  have  any  acquaintance  with  a  certain  Raoul 
Yvard;  a  Frenchman,  and  the  commander  of  a  private 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  267 

lugger-of-vvar,  culled  le  Feu-Follet? — Remember,  you  are 
sworn  to  tell  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the 
truth." 

Ghita's  heart  beat  violently,  and  the  colour  came  into  her 
face  with  the  impetuosity  of  sensitive  alarm.  She  had  no 
knowledge  of  courts,  and  the  object  of  the  inquiry  was  un 
known  to  her.  Then  followed  the  triumph  of  innocence; 
the  purity  of  her  mind,  and  the  quiet  of  her  conscience 
reassuring  her,  by  bringing  the  strong  conviction  that  she 
had  no  reason  to  blush  for  any  sentiment  she  might  happen 
to  entertain. 

"  Signore,"  she  said,  dropping  her  eyes  to  the  floor,  for 
the  gaze  of  all  the  court  was  fastened  on  her  face — "  I  am 
acquainted  with  Raoul  Yvard,  the  person  you  mention  ; 
this  is  he,  who  sits  between  those  two  cannon.  He  is  a 
Frenchman,  and  he  does  command  the  lugger  called  the 
Feu-Follet." 

"  I  knew  we  should  get  it  all  by  this  witness  !"  exclaimed 
Cuffe,  unable  to  suppress  the  relief  he  felt  at  obtaining  the 
required  testimony. 

"  You  say  that  you  know  this,  of  your  own  knowledge," 
resumed  the  Judge  Advocate — 

"Messieurs,"  said  Raoul,  rising,  "will  you  grant  me 
leave  to  speak  1  This  is  a  cruel  scene ;  and,  rather  than 
endure  it — rather  than  give  this  dear  girl  the  cause  for  future 
pain,  that  I  know  her  answers  will  bring,  I  ask  that  you 
permit  her  to  retire,  when  I  promise  to  admit  all  that  you 
can  possibly  prove  by  her  means.'' 

A  short  consultation  followed;  then  Ghita  was  told  to 
withdraw.  But  the  girl  had  taken  the  alarm,  from  the 
countenance  of  Raoul,  although  she  did  not  understand  what 
had  passed  in  English ;  and  she  was  reluctant  to  quit  the 
place  in  ignorance. 

"  Have  I  said  aught  to  injure  thee,  Raoul  ?"  she  anxiously 
asked—"  I  was  sworn  on  the  Word  of  God,  and  by  the 
sacred  cross — had  I  foreseen  any  harm  to  thee,  the  power 
of  England  would  not  have  made  me  take  so  solemn  an  oath, 
and  then  I  might  have  been  silent." 

"  It  matters  not,  dearest — the  fact  must  come  out,  in  some 
way  or  other,  and,  in  due  time,  you  Shall  know  all.  And 
now,  Messieurs," — the  door  closing  on  Ghita — "  there  need 


268  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

be  no  further  concealment  between  us.  I  am  Raoul  Yvard— 
the  person  you  take  me  for,  and  the  person  that  some  of 
you  must  well  know  me  to  be.  I  fought  your  boats,  Mon 
sieur  Cuffe — avoided  your  brulot,  and  led  you  a  merry  chase 
round  Elba.  I  deceived  the  Signor  Barrofaldi,  and  his  friend, 
the  podesta,  and  all  for  the  love  of  this  beautiful  and  modest 
girl,  who  has  just  left  the  cabin ;  no  other  motive  having 
carried  me  into  Porto  Ferrajo,  or  into  this  Bay  of  Naples,  oil 
the  honour  of  a  Frenchman." 

"  Umph  !"  muttered  Lyon — "  it  must  be  admitted,  Sir 
Frederick,  that  the  prisoner  appeals  to  a  most  eligible  stand 
ard  !" 

On  another  occasion,  national  antipathy  and  national 
prejudice  might  have  caused  the  rest  of  the  court  to  smile  at 
this  sally ;  but  there  was  an  earnestness  and  sincerity  in  the 
manner  and  countenance  of  Raoul,  which,  if  they  did  not 
command  entire  belief,  at  least,  commanded  respect.  It  was 
impossible  to  deride  such  a  man ;  and  long-cherished  anti 
pathies  were  rebuked  by  his  spirited  and  manly  declarations. 

"  There  will  be  no  further  occasion  for  witnesses,  Mr. 
Judge  Advocate,  if  the  prisoner  be  disposed  to  acknowledge 
the  whole  truth,"  observed  Cufte.  "  It  is  proper,  however, 
Monsieur  Yvard,  to  apprise  you  of  the  possible  consequences. 
You  are  on  trial  for  your  life;  the  charge  being  that  of 
coming  on  board  an  English  ship  in  disguise,  or  rather,  into 
the  centre  of  an  English  fleet,  you  being  an  alien  enemy, 
engaged  in  carrying  on  open  warfare  against  His  Majesty." 

"  I  am  a  Frenchman,  Monsieur,  and  I  serve  rny  country," 
answered  Raoul,  with  dignity. 

"Your  right  to  serve  your  country,  no  one  will  dispute; 
but  you  must  know  it  is  against  the  laws  of  civilized  warfare 
to  act  the  part  of  a  spy.  You  are  now  on  your  guard,  and 
will  decide  for  yourself.  If  you  have  anything  to  say,  we 
will  hear  h." 

"  Messieurs,  there  is  little  more  to  be  said,"  answered 
Raoul.  "That  I  am  your  enemy,  as  I  am  of  all  those  who 
seek  the  downfall  of  France,  I  do  not  deny.  You  know  who 
I  am,  and  ivhat  I  am,  and  I  have  no  excuses  to  make  for 
being  either.  As  brave  Englishmen,  you  will  know  how  to 
allow  for  the  love  a  Frenchman  bears  his  country.  As  for 
coming  on  board  this  ship,  you  cannot  bring  that  as  a  charge 


LE     PEU-FOLLET.  269 

against  me,  sinc^  it  was  at  your  own  invitation  I  did  it.    The 
rights  of  hospitality  are  as  sacred  as  they  are  general." 

The  members  of  the  court  exchanged  significant  glances 
with  each  other,  and  there  was  a  pause  of  more  than  a 
minute.  Then  the  Judge  Advocate  resumed  his  duties,  by 
saying — 

"  I  wish  you  to  understand,  prisoner,  the  precise  legal 
effect  of  your  admissions ;  then  I  wish  them  to  be  made  for 
mally  and  deliberately ;  else  we  must  proceed  to  the  exami 
nation  of  other  witnesses.  You  are  said  to  be  Raoul  Yvard, 
an  alien  enemy,  in  arms  against  the  king." 

"Monsieur,  this  I  have  already  admitted;  it  cannot 
honourably  be  denied." 

"  You  are  accused  of  coming  on  board  His  Majesty's  ship 
Proserpine  disguised,  and  of  calling  yourself  a  boatman  of 
Capri,  when  you  were  Raoul  Yvard,  an  alien  enemy,  bearing 
arms  against  the  king." 

"  This  is  all  true ;  but  I  was  invited  on  board  the  ship,  as 
I  have  just  stated." 

"  You  are  furthermore  accused  of  rowing  in  among  the 
ships  of  His  Majesty,  now  lying  in  the  Bay  of  Naples,  and 
which  ships  are  under  the  orders  of  Rear-Admiral  Lord 
Nelson,  Duke  of  Bronte,  in  Sicily,  you  being  in  the  same 
disguise,  though  an  alien  enemy,  with  the  intent  to  make 
your  observations  as  a  spy,  and,  doubtless,  to  avail  yourself 
of  information  thus  obtained,  to  the  injury  of  His  Majesty'a 
subjects,  and  to  your  own  advantage,  and  that  of  the  nation 
you  serve." 

"  Monsieur,  this  is  not  so — parole  d'honnevr,  I  went  into 
the  bay  in  search  of  Ghita  Caraccioli,  who  has  my  whole 
heart,  and  whom  I  would  persuade  to  become  my  wife. 
Nothing  else  carried  me  into  the  bay  ;  and  I  wore  this  dress, 
because  I  might  otherwise  have  been  known  and  arrested." 

"  This  is  an  important  fact,  if  you  can  prove  it ;  for, 
though  it  might  not  technically  acquit  you,  it  would  have  its 
effect,  on  the  commander-in-chief,  when  he  comes  to  decide 
on  the  sentence  of  this  court." 

Raoul  hesitated.     He  did  not  doubt  that  Ghita,  she  whose 

testimony  had  just  proved  so  serious  a  matter  against  him 

would  testify  that  she  believed  such  was  alone  his  motive  ; 

and  this,  too,  in    a  way,  and  with  corroborative   circum- 

23  * 


270  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

stances,  that  would  carry  weight  with  them,  more  particu 
larly  as  she  could  testify  that  he  had  done  the  same  thing 
before,  in  the  Island  of  Elba,  and  was  even  in  the  practice 
of  paying  her  flying  visits  at  Monte  Argentaro.  Neverthe 
less,  Raoul  felt  a  strong  reluctance  to  have  Ghita  again 
brought  before  the  court.  With  the  jealous  sensitiveness  of 
true  love,  he  was  averse  to  subjecting  its  object  to  the  gaze 
and  comments  of  the  rude  of  his  own  sex ;  then  he  knew  his 
power  over  the  feelings  of  the  girl,  and  had  too  much  sensi 
bility  not  to  enter  into  all  the  considerations  that  might 
influence  a  man  on  a  point  so  delicate  ;  and  he  could  not 
relish  the  idea  of  publicly  laying  bare  feelings  that  he  wished 
to  be  as  sacred  to  others,  as  they  were  to  himself. 

"  Can  you  prove  what  you  have  just  averred,  Raoul 
Yvard  ?"  demanded  the  Judge  Advocate. 

"  Monsieur — I  fear  it  will  not  be  in  my  power.  There  is 
one — but — I  much  fear  it  will  not  be  in  my  power — unless, 
indeed,  I  am  permitted  to  examine  my  companion ;  he  who 
has  already  been  before  you." 

"  You  mean  Ithuel  Bolt,  I  presume.  He  has  not  yet  been 
regularly  before  us,  but  you  can  produce  him,  or  any  other 
witness  ;  the  court  reserving  to  itself  the  right  to  decide, 
afterwards,  on  the  merits  of  the  testimony." 

"  Then,  Monsieur,  I  could  wish  to  have  Etoo-ell  here." 

The  necessary  directions  were  given,  and  Ithuel  soon 
stood  in  the  presence  of  his  judges.  The  oath  was  tendered, 
and  Ithuel  took  it  like  a  man  who  had  done  such  things 
before. 

"  Your  name  is  Ithuel  Bolt  ?"  commenced  the  Judge  Ad 
vocate. 

"  So  they  call  me  on  board  this  ship — but  if  I  am  to  be 
a  witness,  let  me  swear  freely  ;  I  don't  wish  to  have  words 
put  into  my  mouth,  or  idees  chained  to  me  with  iron." 

As  this  was  said,  Ithuel  raised  his  arms,  and  exhibited 
his  hand-cuffs,  which  the  master-at-arms  had  refused  to 
remove,  and  the  officers  'of  the  court  had  overlooked.  A 
reproachful  glance  from  Cuffe,  and  a  whisper  from  Yelver- 
ton,  disposed  of  the  difficulty — Ithuel  was  released. 

"  Now  I  can  answer  more  conscientiously,"  continued 
the  witness,  grinning  sardonically;  "whfn  iron  is  eating 
into  the  flesh,  a  man  is  apt  to  swear  to  what  he  thinks  wilJ 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  271 

be  most  agreeable  to  his  masters.  Go  on  'squire,  if  you 
have  anything  to  say." 

"  You  appear  to  be  an  Englishman." 

"Do  I?  Then  I  appear  to  be  what  I  am  not.  I'm 
a  native  of  the  Granite  state,  in  North  America.  My  fa 
thers  went  to  that  region,  in  times  long  gone  by,  to  uphold 
their  religious  idees.  The  whole  country,  thereabouts,  sets 
onaccountable  store  by  their  privileges." 

"  Do  you  know  the  prisoner,  Ithuel  Bolt,  the  person  who 
is  called- Raoul  Yvard  ?" 

Ithuel  was  a  little  at  a  loss  exactly  how  to  answer  this 
question.  Notwithstanding  the  high  motive  which  had  led 
his  fathers  into  the  wilderness,  and  his  own  peculiar  esti 
mate  of  his  religious  advantages,  an  oath  had  got  to  be  a 
sort  of  convertible  obligation  with  him,  ever  since  the  day 
he  had  his  first  connection  with  a  custom-house.  A  man 
who  had  sworn  to  so  many  false  invoices,  was  not  likely  to 
stick  at  a  trifle  in  order  to  serve  a  friend  ;  still,  by  denying 
the  acquaintance,  he  might  bring  discredit  on  himself,  and 
thus  put  it  out  of  his  power  to  be  of  use  to  Raoul  on  some 
more  material  point.  As  between  himself  and  the  French 
man,  there  existed  a  remarkable  moral  discrepancy ;  for, 
while  he  who  prided  himself  on  his  religious  ancestry  and 
pious  education,  had  a  singularly  pliable  conscience,  Raoul, 
almost  an  Atheist  in  opinion,  would  have  scorned  a  simple 
lie,  when  placed  in  a  situation  that  touched  his  honour.  In 
the  way  of  warlike  artifices,  few  men  were  more  subtle,  or 
loved  to  practise  them  oflener,  that  Raoul  Yvard ;  but  the 
mask  aside,  or  when  he  fell  back  on  his  own  native  dignity 
of  mind,  death  itself  could  not  have  extorted  an  equivocation 
from  him.  On  the  other  hand,  Ithuel  had  an  affection  for  a 
lie ;  more  especially  if  it  served  himself,  or  injured  his 
enemy — finding-  a  mode  of  reconciling  all  this  to  his  spiri 
tuality,  that  is  somewhat  peculiar  to  fanaticism,  "as  it  begins 
to  grow  threadbare.  On  the  present  occasion,  he  was 
ready  to  say  whatever  he  thought  would  most  conform  to 
his  shipmate's  wishes,  and  luckily  he  construed  the  expres 
sion  of  the  other's  countenance  aright. 

"  I  do  know  the  prisoner,  as  you  call  him,  'squire,"  Ithuel 
answered,  after  the  pause  that  was  necessary  to  come  to  his 
conclusion — "  I  do  know  him  wcil ;  and  a  master-crittur  he 


272  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

is,  when  he  fairly  gets  into  a  current  of  your  English  trade. 
Had  there  been  a  Rule  Yvard,  on  board  each  of  the  French 
men,  at  the  Nile,  over  here,  in  Egypt,  Nelson  would  have 
found  that  his  letter  stood  in  need  of  some  post-cripts,  I 
guess." 

"  Confine  your  answers,  witness,  to  the  purport  of  the 
question,"  put  in  Cuffe,  with  dignity. 

Ithuel  stood  too  much  in  habitual  awe  of  the  captain  of 
his  old  ship,  to  venture  on  an  answer ;  but  if  looks  could 
have  done  harm,  that  important  functionary  would  not  have 
escaped  altogether  uninjured.  As  he  said  nothing,  the  exa 
mination  proceeded. 

"  You  know  him  to  be  Raoul  Yvard,  the  commander  of 
the  French  privateer  lugger,  le  Feu-Follet?"  continued  the 
Judge  Advocate,  deeming  it  prudent  to  fortify  his  record  of 
the  prisoner's  confession  of  identity,  with  a  little  collateral 
evidence. 

"  Why — I  50??ie  think — "  answered  Ithuel,  with  a  peculiar 
provincialism,  that  had  a  good  deal  of  granite  in  it — "  that 
is,  I  kind  o'  conclude — "  catching  an  assent  from  RaouPs 
eye — "oh!  yes  —  of  that,  there  isn't. the  smallest  mite  of 
doubt  in  the  world.  He 's  the  captain  of  the  lugger,  and  a 
right  down  good  one  he  is !" 

"  You  were  with  him,  in  disguise,  when  he  came  into  the 
Bay  of  Naples  yesterday  ?" 

"  I  in  disguise,  'squire  ! — What  have  I  got  to  disguise  ?  I 
am  an  American  of  different  callings,  all  of  which  I  prac- 
tyse,  as  convenience  demands ;  being  a  neutral,  I  've  no 
need  of  disguises  to  go  anywhere.  1  am  never  disguised, 
except  when  my  jib  is  a  little  bowsed  up ;  and  that,  you 
know,  is  a  come-over  that  befals  most  seafaring  men,  at 
times." 

"  You  need  answer  nothing  concerning  yourself,  that  will 
tend  to  criminate  you.  .  Do  you  know  with  what  induce 
ment,  or  on  what  business,  Raoul  Yvard  came  into  the  Bay 
of  Naples  yesterday  ?" 

"  To  own  to  you  the  candid  truth,  'squire,  I  do  not,'7 
answered  Ithuel,  simply ;  for  the  nature  of  the  tie  which 
bound  the  young  Frenchman  so  closely  to  Ghita,  was  a  pro- 
found  mystery,  in  all  that  related  to  its  more  sacred  feelings, 
to  a  being  generally  so  obtuse  on  matters  of  pure  sentiment. 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  273 

"  Captain  Rule  is  a  good  deal  given  to  prying  about  on 
the  coast ;  and  what  particular  eend  he  had  in  view,  in  this 
expedition,  I  cannot  tell  you.  His  aYn'ds  inshore,  I  must 
own,  be  sometimes  onaccountable ! — Witness  the  island  of 
Elby,  gentlemen." 

Ithuel  indulged  in  a  small  laugh,  as  he  made  this  allusion; 
for,  in  his  own  way,  he  had  a  humour  in  which  he  occasion 
ally  indulged,  after  a  manner  that  belonged  to  the  class  of 
which  he  was  a  conspicuous  member. 

"  Never  mind  what  occurred  at  Elba.  Prisoner,  do  you 
wish  to  question  the  witness  I" 

"  Etuelle,"  asked  Raoul,  "  do  you  not  kn.ow  that  I  love 
Ghita  Caraccioli  ?" 

"  Why,  Captain  Rule,  I  know  you  think  so,  and  say  so — 
but  I  set  down  all  these  matters  as  somewhat  various  and 
onaccountable." 

"  Have  I  not  often  landed  on  the  enemy's  coast,  solely  to 
see  her,  and  to  be  near  her?" 

By  this  time,  Ithuel,  who  was  a  little  puzzled  at  first  to 
understand  what  it  all  meant,  had  got  his  cue,  and  no  wit 
ness  could  have  acquitted  himself  better  than  he  did  from 
that  moment. 

"  That  you  have,"  he  answered ;  "  a  hundred  times,  at 
least ;  and  right  in  the  teeth  of  my  advice." 

"  Was  not  my  sole  object  in  coming  into  the  Bay  yester 
day,  to  find  Ghita,  and  Ghita  only  7" 

"Just^so.  Of  that,  gentlemen,  there  can  be  no  more 
question,  than  there  is  about  Vesuvius  standing  up  at  the 
head  of  the  Bay,  smoking  like  a  brick-kiln.  That  was 
Captain  Rule's  sole  a'r'n'd." 

"  I  just  understood  ye  to  say,  witness,"  put  in  Lyon,  "  and 
that  only  a  bit  since,  that  ye  did  not  know  the  prisoner's 
motive  in  coming  into  the  Bay  of  Naples.  Ye  called  his 
behaviour  unaccountable." 

"  Very  true,  sir,  and  so  it  is  to  me.  I  know'd  all  along, 
that  love  was  at  the  bottom  of  it ;  but  /  don't  call  love  a 
motive,  while  I  do  call  it  onaccountable.  That 's  the  expla 
nation  on  't.  Yes,  I  know'd  it  was  love  for  Miss  Gyty,  but 
then  that 's  not  a  motive  in  law." 

"  Answer  to  the  facts.  The  court  will  judge  of  the  mo- 
live  for  itself.  How  do  you  know  that  love  for  the  young 


274  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

Woman  you  mention,  was  Raoul  Yvard's  only  object  in 
coming  into  the  Bay  ?" 

"  One  finds  out  such  things  by  keeping  company  with  a 
*nan.  Captain  Rule  went  first  to  look  for  the  young  woman 
up  on  the  mountain  yonder,  where  her  aunt  lives,  and  I 
went  with  him  to  talk  English,  if  it  got  to  be  necessary; 
and  not  finding  Gyty  at  home,  we  got  a  boat  and  followed 
her  over  to  Naples.  Thus,  you  see,  sir,  that  I  have  reason 
to  know  what  craft  he  was  in  chase  of  the  whole  time." 

As  all  this  was  strictly  true,  Ithuel  related  it  naturally, 
and  in  a  way  to  gain  some  credit. 

"  You  say  you  accompanied  Raoul  Yvard,  witness,  in  a 
visit  to  the  aurft  of  the  young  woman,  called  Ghita  Carac- 
cioli,"  observed  CufTe,  in  a  caivless  way,  that  was  intended 
to  entrap  Ithuel  into  an  unwary  answer — "  where  did  you 
go  from,  when  you  set  out  on  your  journey  ?" 

"  That  would  depend  on  the  place  one  kept  his  reckoning 
from,  and  the  time  of  starting.  Now,  /  might  say  I  started 
from  Ameriky,  which  part  of  the  world  I  left  some  years 
since ;  or  I  might  say  from  Nantes,  the  port  in  which  we 
fitted  for  sea.  As  for  Captain  Rule,  he  would  probably  say 
Nantes." 

"  In  what  manner  did  you  come  from  Nantes?"  continued 
CiuTe,  without  betraying  resentment  at  an  answer  that  might 
be  deemed  impertinent ;  or  surprise,  as  if  he  found  it  diffi 
cult  to  comprehend.  "  You  did  not  make  the  journey  on 
horseback,  I  should  think  ?" 

"  Oh,  I  begin  to  understand  you,  Captain  Cuffe.  Why, 
if  the  truth  must  be  said,  we  came  in  the  lugger,  the  £ew- 
Folly." 

"  I  supposed  as  much.  And  when  you  went  to  visit  this 
aunt,  where  did  you  leave  the  lugger?" 

"  We  did  n't  leave  her  at  all,  sir ;  being  under  her  can 
vass,  our  feet  were  no  sooner  in  the  boat,  and  the  line  cast 
off,  than  she  left  us  as  if  we  had  been  stuck  up,  like  a  tree, 
on  dry  ground." 

"  Where  did  this  happen  ?" 

"Afloat,  of  course,  Captain  Cuffe;  such  a  thing  would 
hardly  come  to  pass,  ashore." 

"  All  that,  I  understand ;  but  you  say  the  prisoner  left 
his  vessel,  in  order  to  visit  an  aunt  of  the  young  woman's; 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  275 

thence  he  went  into  the  Bay,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  finding 
the  young  woman  herself.  Now,  this  is  an  important  fact, 
as  it  concerns  the  prisoner's  motives,  and  may  affect  his  life. 
The  court  must  act  with  all  the  facts  before  it ;  as  a  com 
mencement,  tell  us  where  Raoul  Yvard  left  his  lugger,  to  go 
on  yonder  head-land." 

"  I  do  not  think,  Captain  Cuffe,.  you  've  got  the  story 
exactly  right.  Captain  Rule  didn't  go  on  the  mountain, 
after  all,  so  much  to  see  the  aunt,  as  to  see  the  niece  at  the 
aunt's  dwelling ;  if  one  would  end  right  in  a  story,  he  must 
begin  right" 

"  I  left  le  Feu-Follet,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine,"  Raoul 
calmly  observed,  "not  two  cables'  length  from  the  very  spot 
where  your  own  ship  is  now  lying ;  but  it  was  at  an  hour  of 
the  night  when  the  good  people  of  Capri  were  asleep,  and 
they  knew  nothing  of  our  visit.  You  see  the  lugger  is  no 
longer  here." 

"  And  do  you  confirm  this  story,  under  the  solemnity  of 
your  oath  ?"  demanded  Cuffe  of  Ithuel,  little  imagining  how 
easy  it  was  to  the  witness  to  confirm  anything  he  saw  fit,  in 
the  way  he  mentioned. 

"  Sartain ;  every  word  is  true,  gentlemen,"  answered 
Ithuel.  "  It  was  not  more  than  a  cable's  length  from  this 
very  spot,  according  to  my  judgment." 

"  And  where  is  the  lugger,  now  ?"  asked  Cuffe,  betraying 
the  drift  of  all  his  questions,  in  his  eagerness  to  learn  more. 

Ithuel  was  not  to  be  led  on  so  hurriedly,  or  so  blindly. 
Affecting  a  girlish  sort  of  coyness,  he  answered,  simpering, 

"  Why,  Captain  Cuffe,  I  cannot  think  of  answering  a 
question  like  that,  under  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  as  you 
call  it.  No  one  can  know  where  the  little  Folly  is,  but  them 
that 's  in  her." 

Cuffe  was  a  little  disconcerted  at  the  answer,  while  Lyon 
smiled  ironically ;  the  latter  then  took  upon  himself  the 
office  of  cross-examining,  with  an  opinion  of  his  own  pene 
tration  and  shrewdness,  that,  at  least,  ought  to  have  made 
him  quite  equal  to  encountering  one  of  IthuePs  readiness  in 
subterfuges. 

"  We  do  not  expect  you  to  tell  us,  of  your  own  know 
ledge,  witness,"  he  said,  "  precisely  the  position,  by  latitude 
#nd  longitude,  or  by  the  points  of  the  compass,  at  this  iden- 


276  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

lical  instant,  of  the  craft  called  by  some  the  le  Few- Folly,  by 
others,  the  Few-Follay,  and,  as  it  would  now  seem,  by  your 
self,  the  Little  Folly ;  for  that,  as  ye've  well  obsairved,  can 
be  known  only  to  those  who  are  actually  on  board  her ;  but 
ye  '11  be  remembering,  perhaps,  the  place  it  was  agreed  on 
between  you,  where  ye  were  to  find  the  lugger  at  your 
return  from  this  hazardous  expedition  that  ye've  been  mak 
ing  amang  ye,  into  the  Bay  of  Naples  ?" 

"  I  object  to  that  question,  as  contrary  to  law,"  put  in 
Ithuel,  with  a  spirit  and  promptitude  that  caused  the  Judgo 
Advocate  to  start,  and  the  members  of  the  court  to  look  at 
each  other  in  surprise. 

"  Nay,  if  ye  object  to  the  question  on  the  ground  that  a 
true  ainswer  will  be  criminating  yersel',  ye  '11  be  justified  in 
so  doing,  by  reason  and  propriety ;  but  then  ye  '11  consider 
Veil  the  consequences  it  may  have  on  your  own  case,  when 
that  comes  to  be  investigated." 

"  I  object  on  gin'ral  principles,"  said  Ithuel.  "  Whatever 
Captain  Rule  may  have  said  on  the  subject,  admitting  that. 
he  said  anything,  just  to  bear  out  the  argument,  (by  the 
way,  Ithuel  called  this  word  argooment,  a  pronunciation 
against  which  we  enter  our  solemn  protest;)  admitting,  I 
say,  that  he  said  anything  on  the  subject,  it  cannot  be  testi 
mony,  as  hearsay  evidence  is  ag'in  law,  all  the  world 
over." 

The  members  of  the  court  looked  at  the  Judge  Advocate, 
who  returned  the  glance  with  an  air  of  suitable  gravity ; 
then,  on  a  motion  of  Sir  Frederick's,  the  court  was  cleared, 
to  discuss  the  point  in  private. 

"How's  this,  Mr.  Judge  Advocate,"  demanded  Cuffe,  as 
soon  as  the  coast  was  clear ;  "  it  is  of  the  last  importance 
to  find  where  that  lugger,  is — do  you  hold  that  the  question 
is  contrary  to  law  ?" 

"  Its  importance  makes  it  pertinent,  I  think,  sir ;  as  for 
the  legality,  I  do  not  see  how  it  can  be  affected  by  the  cir- 
cumstance  that  the  fact  came  up  in  discourse." 

"  D'ye  think  so  ?"  observed  Sir  Frederick,  looking  much 
more  profound  than  was  his  wont.  "  Legality  is  the  boast 
of  English  law,  and  I  should  dislike  excessively  to  fail  in 
that  great  essential.  What  is  said,  must  be  heard,  to  bo 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  2?7 

repeated ;  and  this  seems  very  like  hearsay  testimony.  I 
believe  it 's  admitted  all  round,  we  must  reject  that." 

"What  is  your  opinion,  Captain  Lyon?"  demanded  the 
president. 

"  The  case  is  somewhat  knotty,  but  it  may  be  untied," 
returned  the  Scot,  with  a  sneer  on  his  hard  features.  "  No 
need  of  Alexander  and  his  sword  to  cut  the  rope,  I  'm  think 
ing,  when  we  bring  common  sense  to  bear  on  the  point. 
What  is  the  matter  to  be  ascertained? — Why,  the  place 
which  was  agreed  on  as  the  point  of  rendezvous  between 
this  Rawl  Eevart  and  his  people.  Now,  this  arrangement 
must  have  been  made  orally,  or  in  writing;  if  orally,  testi 
mony  to  the  words  uttered  will  not  be  hearsay,  farther  than 
testimony  to  what#  man  has  seen  will  be  eyesight." 

"  Quite  true,  Mr.  President  and  gentlemen !"  exclaimed 
the  Judge  Advocate,  who  was  not  a  little  relieved  at  finding 
a  clue  to  lead  him  out  of  the  difficulty.  "  If  the  agreement 
had  been  made  in  writing,  then  that  writing  would  have  to 
be  produced,  if  possible,  as  the  best  evidence  the  case 
affords ;  but,  being  made  in  words,  those  words  can  be 
sworn  to." 

Cuffe  was  much  relieved  by  this  opinion,  and,  as  Sir 
Frederick  did  not  seem  disposed  to  push  his  dissent  very  far, 
the  matter  would  have  been  determined  on  the  spot, 'but  for 
a  love  of  disputation  that  formed  part  and  parcel,  to  speak 
legally  on  a  legal  subject,  of  Lyon's  moral  temperament. 

"  I  'm  agreeing  with  the  Judge  Advocate,  as  to  his  dis 
tinction  about  the  admissibility  of  the  testimony  on  the 
ground  of  its  not  being  technically  what  is  called  hearsay 
evidence,"  he  observed ;  "  but  a  difficulty  suggests  itself  to 
my  mind  touching  the  pairtcnency.  A  witness  is  sworn  to 
speak  to  the  point  before  the  court ;  but  he  is  not  sworn  to 
discuss  all  things  in  heaven  and  airth.  Now,  's  it  pairtenent 
to  the  fact  of  Rawl  Eevart's  being  a  spy,  that  he  made  sair- 
tain  agreements  to  meet  this  or  that  fellow-creature,  in  this 
or  that  place.  Now,  as  I  comprehend  the  law,  it  divides 
all  questions  into  two  great  classes — the  pairtinent,  and  the 
impairtinent,  of  which  the  first  are  legal,  and  the  second 
illegal." 

"I  think  it  would  be  a  great  piece  of  audacity,"  said  Sir 
24 


278  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

Frederick,  disdainfully,  "  for  such  a  fellow  as  this  Bolt,  to 
pretend  to  call  any  question  we  can  put  him,  impertinent !" 

"  That 's  no  just  the  p'int.  Sir  Frederick  ;  this  being  alto 
gether  a  matter  of  law,  while  ye  '11  be  thinking  of  station 
and  etiquette.  Then,  there's  two  classes  of  the  pairtinent, 
and  two  of  the  impairtenent ;  one  being  legal  and  logical,  as 
it  might  be,  and  the  other  conventional  and  civil,  as  one 
may  say.  There 's  a  nice  distinction,  latent,  between  the 
two." 

"  I  believe  the  court  is  of  opinion  that  the  question  may 
be  put,"  observed  Cuffe,  who  was  impatient  of  the  Scotch 
man's  subtleties,  bowing  to  Sir  Frederick,  to  ask  an  acqui 
escence  which  he  immediately  received.  "  We  will  re-open 
the  doors,  and  proceed  in  the  examination." 

"  The  court  is  of  opinion,  witness,"  resumed  the  Judge 
Advocate,  when  every  one  was  in  his  place  again,  "  that 
you  must  answer  the  question.  In  order  that  you  may 
understand  it,  I  will  now  repeat  it.  Where  was  it  agreed 
between  Raoul  Yvard  and  his  people,  that  they  should  meet 
again  ?" 

"  I  do  not  think  the  people  of  the  lugger  had  anything  to 
say  in  the  matter,"  answered  Ithuel,  in  the  most  unmoved 
manner.  "  If  they  had,  I. knew  nothing  on  't." 

The  court  felt  embarrassed ;  but  as  it  would  never  do  to 
be  thwarted  in  ^this  manner,  a  look  of  determination  was 
exchanged  between  the  members,  and  the  examination  pro 
ceeded. 

"  If  not  the  people,  the  officers,  then.  Where  was  it 
agreed  between  the  prisoner  and  his  officers,  that  the  ibrmer 
should  find  the  lugger,  when  he  returned  from  his  expedition 
into  the  Bay  ?" 

"  Well,  now,  gentlemen,"  answered  Ithuel,  turning  his 
quid  from  one  cheek  into  the  other,  «*  I  some  conclude, 
you  've  no  great  acquaintance  with  Captain  Rule,  a'ter  all  ! 
He  is  not  apt  to  enter  into  any  agreements,  at  all.  What 
he  wants  done,  he  orders ;  and  what  he  orders,  must  be 
done." 

"  What  did  he  order,  then,  as  respects  the  place  where 
the  lugger  was  to  wait  for  his  return?" 

"  I  'm  sorry  to  be  troublesome,  please  the  court,"  returned 
the  witness,  with  admirable  self-possession;  "  but  law  ia 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  279 

aw,  all  over  the  world,  and  I  rather  guess  this  question  is 
ag'in  it.  In  the  Granite  state,  it  is  always  held  that  when 
a  thing  can  be  proved  by  the  person  who  said  any  particular 
words,  that  the  question  must  be  put  to  him,  and  not  to  a 
bystander." 

"  Not  if  that  person  is  a  prisoner,  and  on  his  trial," 
answered  the.  Judge  Advocate,  staring  to  hear  such  a  dis 
tinction  from  such  a  source ;  "  though  the  remark  is  a 
good  one,  in  the  cases  of  witnesses,  purely.  You  must 
answer,  therefore." 

"  It  is  unnecessary,"  again  interposed  Raoul.  "  I  left 
my  vessel  here,  where  I  have  told  you,  and  had  I  made  a 
certain  signal,  the  last  night,  from  the  heights  of  St.  Agata, 
le  Feu-Follet  would  have  stood  in,  near  to  the  rocks  of  the 
Sirens,  and  taken  me  off  again.  As  the  hour  is  passed,  and 
the  signal  is  not  likely  to  be  made,  it  is  probable  my  lieu 
tenant  has  gone  to  another  rendezvous,  of  which  the  witness 
knows  nothing,  and  which,  certainly,  I  shall  never  betray." 

There  was  so  much  manliness  and  quiet  dignity  in  Raoul's 
deportment,  that,  whatever  he  said  made  an  impression. 
His  answer  disposed  of  the  matter,  for  the  moment  at  least. 
The  Judge  Advocate,  accordingly,  turned  to  other  inquiries. 
Little  remained,  however,  to  be  done.  The  prisoner  had 
admitted  his  identity ;  his  capture,  with  all  the  attendant 
circumstances,  were  in  proof,  and  his  defence  came  next. 

When  Raoul  rose  to  speak,  he  felt  a  choking  emotion  ; 
but  it  soon  left  him,  and  he  commenced  in  a  steady,  calm 
tone,  his  accent  giving  point  and  interest  to  many  of  his 
expressions. 

"  Messieurs,"  said  he,  "  I  will  not  deny  my  name,  my 
character,  or  my  manner  of  life.  I  am  a  Frenchman,  and 
the  enemy  of  your  country.  I  am,  also,  the  enemy  of  the 
King  of  Naples,  in  whose  territories  you  found  me.  I  have 
destroyed  his  and  your  ships.  Put  me  on  board  my  lugger, 
and  I  should  do  both  again.  Whoever  is  the  enemy  of 
la  France,  is  the  enemy  of  Raoul  Yvard.  Honourable  sea 
men,  like  yourselves,  Messieurs,  can  understand  this.  I  am 
young.  My  heart  is  not  made  of  rock ;  evil  as  it  may  be, 
it  can  love  beauty,  and  modesty,  and  virtue,  in  the  other 
sex.  Such  has  been  my  fate — I  love  Ghita  Caraccioli  ; 
have  endeavoured  to  make  her  my  wife  for  more  than  a 


280  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

year.  She  has  not  authorized  me  to  say  that  my  suit  was 
favoured — this  I  must  acknowledge  ;  but  she  is  not  the*  less 
admirable  for  that.  We  differ  in  our  opinions  of  religion, 
and  I  fear  she  left  Monte  Argantaro,  because,  refusing  my 
hand,  she  thought  it  better,  perhaps,  that  we  should  not 
meet  again.  It  is  so  with  maidens,  as  you  must  know, 
Messieurs'.  But  it  is  not  usual  for  us,  who  are  less  refined, 
to  submit  to  such  self-denial.  I  learned  whither  Ghita  had 
come,  and  followed  ;  my  heart  was  a  magnet,  that  her 
beauty  drew  after  it,  as  our  needles  are  drawn  towards  the 
pole.  It  was  necessary  to  go  into  the  Bay  of  Naples, 
among  the  vessels  of  enemies,  to  find  her  I  loved ;  and  this 
is  a  very  different  thing,  from  engaging  in  the  pitiful  at 
tempts  o'f*  a  spy.  Which  of  you  would  not  have  done  the 
same,  Messieurs  ?  You  are  braves  Anglais,  and  I  know  you 
would  not  hesitate.  Two  of  you  are  still  youthful,  like 
myself,  and  must  still  feel  the  power  of  beauty  j  even  the 
Monsieur  that  is  no  longer  a  young  man,  has  had  his  mo 
ments  ot  passion,  like  all  that  are  born  of  woman.  Mes 
sieurs,  I  have  no  more  to  say  :  you  know  the  rest.  If  you 
condemn  me,  let  it  be  as  an  unfortunate  Frenchman,  whose 
heart  had  its  weaknesses— not  as  an  ignominious  and  trea 
cherous  t>py." 

The  earnestness  and  nature  with  which  Raoul  spoke, 
were  not  without  effect.  Could  Sir  Frederick  have  had  his 
way,  the  prisoner  would  have  been  acquitted  on  the  spot. 
But,  Lyon  was  sceptical,  as  to  the  story  of  love,  a  sentiment 
about  which  he  knew  very  little ;  and  there  was  a  spirit  01 
opposition  in  him,  too,  that  generally  induced  him  to  take 
the  converse  of  most  propositions  that  were  started.  The 
prisoner  was  dismissed,  and  the  court  closed  its  doors,  to 
make"  up  its  decision,  by  itself,  in  the  usual  form. 

We  should  do  injustice  to  Cuffe,  if  we  did  not  say  that  he 
had  some  feeling  in  favour  of  the  gallant  foe,  who  had  so 
often  foiled  him.  Could  he  have  had  his  will  at  that  mo 
ment,  he  would  have  given  Raoul  his  lugger,  allowed  the 
latter  a  sufficient  start,  and  then  gladly  have  commenced  a 
chase  round  the  Mediterranean,  to  settle  nil  questions  be 
tween  them.  But  it  was  too  much  to  give  up  the  lugger,  as 
well  as  trie  prisoner.  Then  his  oath,  as  a  judge,  had  its 
obligations  also,  and  he  felt  himself  bound  to  yield  to  the  ar- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  281 

guments  of  the  Judge  Advocate,  who  was  a  man  of  techni 
calities,  and  thought  no  more  of  sentiment  than  Lyon, 
himself. 

The  result  of  the  deliberation,  which  lasted  an  hour,  was 
a  finding  against  the  prisoner.  The  court  was  opened,  the 
record  made  up  and  read,  the  offender  introduced,  and  the 
judgment  delivered.  The  finding  was  "  that  Raoul  Yvard 
had  been  caught  in  disguise,  in  the  midst  of  the  allied  fleets, 
and  that  he  was  guilty  as  a  spy."  The  sentence  was  to 
suffer  death  the  succeeding  day,  by  hanging  at  the  yard- 
arm  of  such  ship,  as  the  commander-in-chief  might  select, 
on  approving  of  the  sentence. 

As  Raoul  expected  little  else,  he  heard  his  doom  with 
steadiness,  bowing  with  dignity  and  courtesy  to  the  court, 
as  he  was  led  away,  to  be  placed  in  irons,  as  befitted  one 
condemned. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

"The  world's  all  title-page;  there's  no  contents; 
The  world's  all  face;  the  man  who  shows  his  heart 
Is  hooted  for  his  nudities,  and  scorned." 

Night  Thoughts. 

BOLT  had  not  been  tried.  His  case  had  several  serious 
difficulties,  and  the  orders  allowed  of  a  discretion.  The 
punishment  could  scarcely  be  less  than  death,  and,  in  addition 
to  the  loss  of  a  stout,  sinewy  man,  it  involved  questions  of 
natural  right,  that  were  riot  always  pleasant  to  be  considered. 
Although  the  impressment  of  American  seamen  into  the 
British  ships  of  war  was  probably  one  of  the  most  serious 
moral,  as  well  as  political  wrongs,  that  one  independent 
nation  ever  received  at  the  hands  of  another,  viewed  as  a 
practice  of  a  generation's  continuance,  it  was  not  wholly 
without  some  relieving  points.  There  was  a  portion  of  the 
British  marine  that  disdained  to  practise  it  at  all ;  leaving  it 
to  the  coarser  spirits  of  the  profession  to  discharge  a  duty 
24*  ' 


282  I<E     FETJ-FOLLET. 

that  they,  themselves,,  found  repugnant  to  their  feelings  and 
their  habiis.  Thus,  we  remember  to  have  heard  an  Ameri 
can  seaman  say,  one  who  had  been  present  on  many  occa 
sions  when  his  countrymen  were  torn  from  under  their 
flag,  that  in  no  instance  he  ever  witnessed,  was  the  officer 
who  committed  the  wrong  of  an  air  and  manner  that  he 
should  describe  as  belonging  to  the  class  of  gentlemen,  on 
shore.  Whenever  one  of  the  latter  boarded  his  vessel,  the 
crew  was  permitted  to  pass  unquestioned. 

Let  this  be  as  it  might,  there  is  no  question  that  a  strong 
and  generous  feeling  existed  in  the  breasts  of  hundreds  in 
the  British  navy,  concerning  the  nature  of  the  wrong  that 
was  done  a  foreign  people,  by  the  practice  of  impressing 
men  from  under  their  flag.  Although  Cuffe  was  too  much 
of  a  martinet  to  carry  his  notions  on  the  subject  to  a  very 
refined  point,  he  was  too  much  of  a  man  not  to  be  reluctant 
to  punish  another  for  doing  what  he  felt  he  would  have  done 
himself,  under  similar  circumstances,  and  what  he  could  not 
but  know  he  would  have  had  a  perfect  right  to  do.  It  was 
impossible  to  mistake  one  like  Ithuel,  who  had  so  many  of 
the  Granite  peculiarities  about  him,  for  anything  but  what 
he  was ;  and  so  well  was  his  national  character  established 
in  the  ship,  that  the  sobriquet  of  The  Yankee  had  been  ap 
plied  to  him,  by  his  shipmates,  from  the  very  first.  The 
fact,  therefore,  stood  him  so  far  in  hand,  that  Cuffe,  after  a 
consultation  with  Winchester,  determined  not  to  put  the 
alleged  deserter  on  trial ;  but,  after  letting  him  remain  a 
short  time  in  irons,  to  turn  him  to  duty,  again,  under  a  pre 
tence  that  was  often"  used  on  such  occasions,  viz.,  to  give 
the  man  an  opportunity  of  proving  his  American  birth,  if  he 
were  really  what  he  so  strenuously  professed  to  be.  Poor 
Ithuel  was  not  the  only  one  who  was  condemned  to  this 
equivocal  servitude,  hundreds  passing  weary  years  of  proba 
tion,  with  the  same  dim  ray  of  hope,  for  ever  deferred, 
gleaming  in  the  distance.  It  was  determined,  however,  not 
to  put  Ithuel  on  his  trial,  until  the  captain  had  conversed 
with  the  admiral  on  the  subject,  at  least ;  and  Nelson,  re 
moved  from  the  influence  of  the  siren  by  whom  he  was 
enthralled,  was  a  man  inclined  to  leniency,  and  of  even 
chivalrous  notions  of  justice.  To  such  contradictions  is 


LE     FEU-FOLLEI1.  283 

even  a  great  mind  subject,  when  it  loses  sight  of  the  polar 
star  of  its  duties  ! 

When  the  sentence  on  Raoul  was  pronounced,  therefore, 
and  the  prisoner  was  removed,  the  court  adjourned;  a  boat 
being  immediately  despatched  to  the  Foudroy ant  with  a  copy 
of  the  proceedings,  for  the  rear-admiral's  approbation.  Then 
Allowed  a  discussion  on  much  the  most  interesting  topic  for 
hem  all ;  the  probable  position  of,  and  the  means  of  captur- 
ng  the  lugger.  That  le  Feu-Follet  was  near,  all  were  con 
vinced  ;  but  where  she  was  to  be  found,  it  was  hard  to  tell. 
Officers  had  been  sent  on  the  heights  of  Capri,  one  of  which 
towers  more  than  a  thousand  feet  above  the  sea ;  but  they 
returned  from  a  bootless  errand.  Nothing  resembling  the 
lugger  was  visible  in  the  offing,  among  the  islands,  or  in  the 
bays.  A  cutter  had  been  sent  to  look  round  Campanella, 
and  another  crossed  the  mouth  of  the  bay,  to  take  a  look 
to  the  northward  of  Ischia,  in  order  to  make  certain  that  the 
treacherous  craft  had  not  gone  behind  the  mountains  of  that 
island,  for  a  refuge.  In  short,  no  expedient,  likely  to  discover 
the  fugitive,  was  neglected.  All  failed,  however;  boat  after 
boat  came  back,  without  success,  and  officer  after  officer 
returned  wearied  and  disappointed. 

Much  of  the  day  was  passed  in  this  manner,  for  it  was  a 
calm,  and  moving  either  of  the  ships  was  out  of  the  question. 
In  the  full  expectation  of  discovering  the  lugger  somewhere 
in  striking  distance,  Cuffe  had  even  gone  so  far  as  to  detail 
a  party  from  each  vessel,  with  a  view  to  attack  her  in  boats, 
again  ;  feeling  no  doubt  of  success,  now  that  he  had  the  dis 
posable  force  of  three  vessels  to  send  against  his  enemy. 
Winchester  was  to  have  commanded,  as  a  right  purchased  by 
his  blood ;  nor  was  the  hope  of  succeeding,  in  this  way 
abandoned,  until  the  last  boat,  that  which  had  been  sent  round 
Ischia,  returned,  and  reported  its  total  want  of  success. 

"  I  have  heard  it  said,"  observed  Cuffe,  as  he  and  hi& 
brother  captains  stood  conversing  together  on  the  quarter 
deck  of  the  Proserpine,  just  after  this  last  report  had  been 
made — "  I  have  heard  it  said,  that  this  Raoul  Yvard  has 
actually  gone  boldly  into  several  of  our  ports,  under  English 
or  neutral  colours,  and  lain  there  a  day  or  two  at  a  time, 
unsuspected  ;  until  it  has  suited  him  to  go  out  again.  Can 
it  be  possible  he  is  up,  off  the  town  ? — There  is  such  a  fleet 


284  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

of  craft,  in  and  about  the  mole,  that  a  little  lugger,  with  her 
paint  and  marks  altered,  might  be  among  them. — What 
think  you,  Lyon  ?" 

"  It  is  sairtainly  a  law  of  nature,  Captain  Cuffe,  that 
smaller  objects  should  be  overlooked,  in  the  presence  of 
greater  ;  and  such  a  thing  might  happen,  therefore ;  though 
I  should  place  it  among  the  improbables,  if  not  absolutely 
among  the  impossibles.  'T  would  be  far  safer,  nevertheless, 
to  run  in,  in  the  manner  you  designate,  among  a  hundred  or 
two  of  ships,  than  to  venture  alone  into  a  haven  or  a  road 
stead.  If  you  wish  for  retirement,  Sir  Frederick,  plunge  at 
once  into  the  Strand,  or  take  lodgings  on  Ludgate  Hill ;  but 
if  you  wish  to  be  noticed,  and  chased,  go  into  a  highland 
village,  and  just  conceal  your  name  for  a  bit !  Ah — he 
knows  the  difference,  well,  who  has  tried  both  modes  of 
life!" 

«*  This  is  true,  Cuffe,"  observed  the  Baronet,  "  and  yet  I 
hardly  think  a  Frenchman,  big  or  little,  would  be  apt  to 
come  and  anchor  under  Nelson's  nose." 

"  'T  would  be  something  like  the  lion's  lying  down  with 
the  lamb,  certainly,  and  ought  not  to  be  counted  on  as  very 
likely.  Mr.  Winchester,  is  not  that  our  boat  coming  round 
the  sloop's  quarter?" 

"  Yes,  sir — she  has  got  back  from  Naples — quarter 
master — " 

"Ay,  quarter-master"  —  interrupted  Cuffe,  sternly  —  "a 
pretty  look-out  is  this !  Here  is  our  own  boat  close  in  upon 
us,  and  not  a  word  from  your  lips  on  the  interesting  subject, 


sir 


i" 


This  word,  szr,  is  much  used  on  board  a  man-of-war,  and 
in  all  its  convertible  significations.  From  the  inferior  to  the 
superior,  it  comes  as  natural,  as  if  it  were  a  gift  from  above  ; 
from  equal  to  equal,  it  has  a  ceremonious  and  be-on-your- 
guard  air,  that  sometimes  means  respect,  sometimes  disre 
spect  ;  while,  from  a  captain  to  a  quarter-master,  it  always 
means  '-pproof,  if  it  do  not  mean  menace.  In  discussions  of 
this  sort,  it  is  wisest  for  the  weaker  party  to  be  silent;  and 
nowhere  is  this  truth  sooner  Learned,  than  on  ship-board. 
The  quarter-master,  consequently,  made  no  answer,  and  the 
gig  came  alongside,  bringing  back  the  officer  who  had  car 
ried  the  proceedings  of  the  court  up  to  Naples. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  285 

"  Here  we  have  it,"  said  Cuffe,  opening  the  important  do 
cument,  as  soon  as  he  and  his  brother  captains  were  again  in 
the  cabin.  '  Approved — ordered  that  the  sentence  be  car 
ried  into  execution  on  board  his  Majesty's  ship,  the  Proser 
pine,  Captain  Cuffe,  to-morrow,  between  the  hours  of  sun 
rise  and  sun-set.' " 

Then  followed  the  date,  and  the  well-known  signature  of 
"  Nelson  and  Bronte."  All  this  was  what  Cuffe  both 
wished  and  expected,  though  he  would  have  preferred  a  little 
more  grace  in  carrying  out  the  orders.  The  reader  is  not 
to  suppose  from  this,  that  our  captain  was  either  vengeful 
or  bloody-minded  ;  or  that  he  really  desired  to  inflict  on 
Raoul  any  penalty  for  the  manner  in  which  he  had  baffled 
his  own  designs  and  caused  his  crew  to  suffer.  So  far  from 
this,  his  intention  was  to  use  the  sentence  to  extort  from  the 
prisoner  a  confession  of  the  orders  he  had  given  to  those 
left  in  the  lugger,  and  then  to  use  this  confession  as  a  means 
of  obtaining  his  pardon,  with  a  transfer  to  a  prison-ship. 
Cuffe  had  no  great  veneration  for  privateersmen,  nor  was 
his  estimate  of  their  morality  at  all  unreasonable,  when  he 
inferred  that  one,  who  served  with  gain  for  his  principal 
object,  would  not  long  hesitate  about  purchasing  his  own  life, 
by  the  betrayal  of  a  secret  like  that  he  now  asked.  Had 
Raoul  belonged  even  to  a  republican  navy,  the  English  man- 
of-war's-man  might  have  hesitated  about  carrying  out  his 
plan  ;  but,  with  the  master  o\  a  corsair,  it  appeared  to  be 
the  most  natural  thing  imaginable  to  attempt  its  execution. 
Both  Sir  Frederick  and  Lyon  viewed  the  matter  in  the 
same  light ;  and,  now  that  everything  was  legally  done  that 
was  necessary  to  the  design,  the  capture  of  the  lugger  was 
deemed  more  than  half  accomplished. 

"It  is  somewhat  afflicting,  too,  Cuffe,"  observed  Sir  Fre 
derick,  in  his  drawling,  indolent  way ;  "  it  is  somewhat 
afflicting,  too,  Cuffe,  to  be  compelled  to  betray  one's  friends, 
or  to  be  hanged  !  In  parliament,  now,  we  say  we  '11  be 
hnnued  if  we  do,  and  here  you  say  you  '11  be  hanged  if 
you  don't." 

"  Poh,  poh,  Dashwood  ;  no  one  expects  this  Raoul  Yvard 
will  come  to  that  fate,  for  no  one  thinks  he  will  hold  out. 
We  shall  get  the  lugger,  and  that  will  be  the  end  of  it.  I  'd 
give  a  thousand  pounds  to  see  that  d d  Few-Folly  at 


286  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

anchor,  within  pistol-shot  of  my  stern,  at  this  blessed  mo 
ment.     My  feelings  are  in  the  matter." 

"Five  hundred  would  be  a  high  price,"  observed  Lyon, 
drily.  "  1  much  doubt  if  the  shares  of  us  three  come  to  as 
much  as  a  hundred  apiece,  even  should  the  craft  fall  into 
our  hands." 

"  By  the  way,  gents,"  put  in  Sir  Frederick,  gaping — 
"  suppose  we  toss  up,  or  throw  the  dice,  to  see  which  shall 
have  all,  on  the  supposition  we  get  her  within  the  next 
twenty-four  hours,  timing  the  affair  by  this  ship's  chrono 
meters.  You  've  dice  on  board,  I  dare  say,  Cuffe,  and  we 
can  make  a  regular  time  of  it,  here,  for  half  an  hour,  and 
no  one  the  wiser." 

"  Your  pardon,  Captain  Dashwood ;  I  can  suffer  no  such 
amusement.  It  is  unmilitary,  and  contrary  to  regulations ; 
and,  then,  hundreds  are  not  as  plenty  with  Lyon  and  my-, 
self,  as  they  are  with  you.  I  like  to  pocket  my  prize- 
money  first,  and  sport  on  it,  afterwards." 

"  You  're  right,  Captain  Cuffe,"  said  Lyon ;  "  though" 
there  can  be  no  great  innovation  in  sporting  on  Sir  Fre 
derick's  portion,  if  he  see  fit  to  indulge  us.  Money  is  an 
agreeable  acquisition  beyond  a  doubt,  and  life  is  sweet  to 
saint  and  sinner  alike ;  but  I  much  question  your  facility  in 
persuading  this  Monshure  Rawl  to  tell  you  his  secret  con- 
sairning  the  lugger,  in  the  manner  ye  anticipate." 

This  opinion  met  with  no  favour;  and  after  discussing  the 
point  among  themselves  a  little  longer,  the  three  captains 
were  on  the  point  of  separating,  when  Griffin  burst  into  the 
cabin,  without  even  knocking,  and  altogether  regardless  of 
the  usual  observances. 

"  One  would  think  it  blew  a  typhoon,  Mr.  Griffin,"  said 
Cuffe,  coldly,  "  by  the  rate  at  which  you  run  before  it." 

"  It 's  an  ill  wind  that  blows  no  luck,  sir," -answered  the 
lieutenant,  actually  panting  for  breath,  so  great  had  been 
his  haste  to  communicate  what  he  had  to  say.  "  Our  look 
out,  on  the  heights  above  Campanella,  has  just  signalled  us 
that  he  sees  the  lugger  to  the  southward  and  eastward — 
somewhere  near  the  point  of  Piane,  I  suppose,  sir;  and  what 
is  better,  the  wind  is  coming  off-shore  earlier  than  common 
this  evening." 

"  That  is  news !"  exclaimed  Cuffe,  rubbing  his  hands  with 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  287 

delight.  "  Go  on  deck,  Griffin,  and  tell  Winchester  to  un- 
moor ;  then  make  a  signal  to  the  other  ships  to  do  the  same. 
Now,  gentlemen,  we  have  the  game  in  our  own  hands,  and 
let  us  see  and  play  it  skilfully.  In  a  couple  of  hours  it  will 
be  dark,  and  our  movements  can  all  be  made  without  being 
seen.  As  the  Proserpine  is,  perhaps,  the  fastest  ship," — at 
this  remark,  Sir  Frederick  smiled  ironically,  while  Lyon 
raised  his  eyebrows  like  one  who  saw  a  marvel  —  "As  the 
Proserpine  is,  perhaps,  the  fastest  ship,  she  ought  to  go  the 
farthest  to  leeward ;  and  I  will  get  under  way,  and'stand 
off  to  sea,  keeping  well  to  the  northward  and  eastward,  as 
if  I  were  running  for  the  straits  of  Bonifacio,  for  instance, 
until  it  gets  to  be  dark,  when  I  will  haul  up  south,  for  a 
couple  of  hours  or  so ;  then  come  up  as  high  as  south-east, 
until  we  are  to  the  southward  of  the  gulf  of  Salerno.  This 
will  be  before  daylight,  if  the  wind  stand.  At  daylight, 
then,  you  may  look  out  for  me,  off  Piane,  say  two  leagues, 
and  to  seaward,  I  hope,  of  the  lugger.  You  shall  follow, 
Sir  Frederick,  just  as  the  sun  sets,  and  keep  in  my  wake,  as 
near  as  possible ;  heaving-to,  however,  at  midnight.  This 
will  bring  you  fairly  abreast  of  the  gulf,  and  about  midway 
between  the  two  capes,  a  little  west  of  south  from  Campa- 
nella.  Lyon,  you  can  lie  here  until  the  night  has  fairly  set 
in,  when  you  can  pass  between  Capri  and  the  cape,  and  run 
down  south  two  hours,  and  heave-to.  This  will  place  you 
in  a  position  to  watch  the  passage  to  and  from  the  gulf, 
under  the  northern  shore." 

"  And  this  arrangement  completed  to  your  satisfaction, 
Captain  Cuffe,"  asked  Lyon,  deliberately  helping  himself  to 
an  enormous  pinch  of  snuff,  "  what  will  be  your  pleasure  in 
the  posterior  evolutions?" 

"  Each  ship  must  keep  her  station  until  the  day  has  fairly 
dawned.  Should  it  turn  out,  as  I  trust  it  may,  that  we  'v$ 
got  the  le  Few-FoUy  in-shore  of  us,  all  we  '11  have  to  do, 
will  be  to  close  in  upon  her,  and  drive  her  up,  higher  and 
higher,  into  the  Bay.  She  will  naturally  run  into  shallow 
water ;  when  we  must  anchor  off,  man  the  boats,  send  them 
north  and  south  of  her,  and  let  them  board  her,  under  cover 
of  our  fire.  If  we  find  the  lugger  embayed,  we'll  have  her, 
as  sure  as  fate." 

"  Very  prettily  conceived,  Captain  Cuffe ;  and  in  a  way 


288  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

to  be  handsomely  executed.  But  if  we  should  happen  to 
find  the  heathen  outside  of  us  ?" 

"  Then  make  sail  in  chase  to  seaward,  each  ship  acting 
for  the  best.  Come,  gentlemen,  I  do  not  wish  to  be  inhos 
pitable,  but  the  Proserpine  must  be  off.  She  has  a  long 
road  before  her ;  and  the  winds  of  this  season  of  the  year 
can  barely  be  counted  on  for  an  hour  at  a  time." 

Cuffe  being  in  such  a  hurry,  his  guests  departed  without 
further  ceremony.  As  for  Sir  Frederick,  the  first  thing  he 
did,  was  to  order  dinner  an  hour  earlier  than  he  had  in 
tended,  and  then  to  invite  his  surgeon  and  marine-officer, 
two  capital  pairs  of  knives  and  forks,  to  come  and  share  it 
with  him  ;  after  which,  he  sat  down  to  play  somewhat  vil- 
ianously  on  a  flute.  Two  hours  later,  he  gave  the  neces 
sary  orders  to  his  first-lieutenant ;  after  which,  he  troubled 
himself  very  little  about  the  frigate  he  commanded.  Lyon, 
on  the  other  hand,  sat  down  to  a  very  frugal  meal  alone,  as 
soon  as  he  found  himself  again  in  his  sloop ;  first  ordering 
certain  old  sails  to  be  got  on  deck,  and  to  be  mended  for  the 
eighth  or  ninth  time. 

With  the  Proserpine  it  was  different.  Her  capstan-bars 
flew  round,  and  one  anchor  was  actually  catted,  by  the  time 
her  captain  appeared  on  deck.  The  other  soon  followed, 
the  three  topsails  fell,  were  sheeted-home  and  hoisted,. and 
then  sail  was  set  after  sail,  until  the  ship  went  steadily  past 
the  low  promontory  of  Ana  Capri,  a  cloud  of  canvass.  Her 
head  was  to  the  westward,  inclining  a  little  north ;  and  had 
there  been  any  one  to  the  southward,  to  watch  her  move 
ments,  as  there  was  not,  so  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  it  would 
have  been  supposed  that  she  was  standing  over  towards  the 
coast  of  Sardinia,  most  probably  with  an  intention  of  passing, 
by  the  Straits  of  Bonifacio,  between  that  island  and  Corsica. 
The  wind  being  nearly  east,  and  it  blowing  a  good  breeze, 
the  progress  of  the  ship  was  such  as  promised  to  fulfil  all 
the  expectations  of  her  commander. 

As  the  sun  set,  and  darkness  diffused  itself  over  the  Medi 
terranean,  the  lighter  steering-sails  were  taken  in,  and  the 
Proserpine  brought  the  wind  abeam,  standing  south.  One 
of  the  last  things  visible  from  the  decks,  besides  the  moun 
tains  of  the  islands  and  of  the  main,  the  curling  smoke  of 
Vesuvius,  the  blue  void  above  and  the  bluer  sea  below,  was 


LE     PEU-FOLLET.  289 

the  speck  of  the  Terpsichore,  as  that  ship  followed,  as  near 
as  might  be,  in  her  wake ;  Sir  Frederick  and  his  friends 
still  at  table,  but  with  a  vigilant  and  industrious  first-lieu 
tenant  on  deck,  who  was  sufficient  in  himself  for  all  that 
was  required  of  the  vessel,  in  any  emergency.  The  latter 
nad  his  orders,  and  he  executed  them  with  a  precision  and 
attention  that  promised  to  leave  nothing  to  be  wished  for. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  people  of  the  Ringdove  were  kept  at 
work  mending  old  sails  until  the  hour  to  "  knock-off  work" 
arrived  ;  then  the  ship  unmoored.  At  the  proper  time,  the 
remaining  anchor  was  lifted,  and  the  sloop  went  through  the 
pass,  between  Capri  and  Campanella,  as  directed,  when 
Lyon  sent  for  the  first-lieutenant  to  join  him  in  his  cabin. 

« Look  you  here,  McBean,"  said  Lyon,  pointing  to  the 
chart  which  lay  on  the  table ;  "  Captain  Cuffe  has  just  run 
down  off  Piane,  and  will  find  himself  well  to  leeward,  when 
the  west  wind  comes  to-morrow ;  Sir  Frederick  has  followed, 
famously  clear  of  the  land,  and  won't  be  in  a  much  better 
box.  Now,  this  lugger  must  be  pretty  picking,  if  all  they 
say  of  her  be  true.  Ten  to  one,  but  she  has  gold  in  her. 
These  corsairs  are  desperate  rogues  after  the  siller,  and, 
taking  hull,  sails,  armament,  head-money,  and  the  scrapings 
of  the  lockers  together,  I  shouldn't  marvel,  if  she  come  to 
something  as  good  as  8  or  £10,000.  This  would  be  fair 
dividing  for  a  sloop,  but  would  amount  to  a  painfully  small 
trifle,  as  between  the  officers  of  three  ships,  after  deducting 
the  admiral's  share.  What  are  you  thinking  of,  Airchy  ?" 

"  Of  just  that,  Captain  Lyon.  It  would  be  dividing  every 
lieutenant's  share  by  three,  as  well  as  every  captain's." 

"  That 's  it,  Airchy,  and  so  ye  '11  have  a  shairp  look  out, 
on  deck.  There'll  be  no  occasion  to  run  down  quite  as  far 
as  Captain  Cuffe  suggested,  ye  '11  obsairve ;  for,  if  in  the 
bay,  the  lugger  will  work  her  way  up  towards  this  head 
land,  and  we  '11  be  all  the  more  likely  to  fall  in  with  her,  by 
keeping  near  it  ourselves.  Ye  '11  take  the  idea  ?" 

*  It 's  plain  enou',  Captain  Lyon  ;  and  I  '11  be  obsairving 
it.  How  is  the  law  understood  as  respects  dairkness? — I 
understand  that  none  share  but  such  as  are  in  sight;  but  is 
dairkness  deemed  a  legal  impediment?" 

"  To  be  sure  it  is  ;  the  idea  being  that  all  who  can  see 
may  act.  Now,  if  we  catch  the  lugger  before  Captain  Cuflfe 


290  LE     FEU -FOLLET. 

and  Sir  Frederick  even  know  where  she  is,  on  what  principle 
can  they  aid  and  sustain  us  in  the  capture?" 

"And  you  wish  a  shairp  look-out,  the  night,  Captain 
Lyon?" 

"  That 's  just  it,  Airchy.  Ye  '11  all  be  doing  your  best, 
in  the  way  of  eyes,  and  we  may  get  the  lugger  alone. 
ST  would  be  such  a  pity,  Mr.  McBean,  to  divide  by  three, 
when  the  sums  might  be  kept  entire !" 

Such  was  the  state  of  feeling  with  which  each  of  these 
three  officers  entered  on  his  present  duty.  Cuffe  was 
earnest  in  the  wish  to  catch  his  enemy,  and  this  principally 
for  the  credit  of  the  thing,  though  a  little  out  of  a  desire  to 
revenge  his  own  losses  ;  Sir  Frederick  Dashwood,  indifferent 
to  all  but  his  own  pleasures ;  and  Lyon,  closely  attentive  to 
the  main  chance.  An  hour  or  two  later,  or  just  before  Cuffe 
turned  in,  he  sent  a  message  to  request  the  presence  of  his 
first-lieutenant,  if  the  latter  were  still  up.  Winchester  was 
writing  up  his  private  journal ;  closing  the  book,  he  obeyed 
the  order,  in  that  quiet,  submissive  manner,  which  a  first- 
lieutenant  is  more  apt  to  use  towards  his  captain,  than 
towards  any  one  else. 

"  Good-evening,  Winchester,"  said  Cuffe,  in  a  familiar, 
friendly  way,  which  satisfied  the  subordinate  that  he  was  not 
sent  for  to  be  "  rattled-down"  ;  "  draw  a  chair,  and  try  a 
glass  of  this  Capri  wine,  with  some  water.  It 's  not  carry 
ing  sail  hard  to  drink  a  gallon  of  it ;  yet  I  rather  think  it 
fills  up  the  chinks  better  than  nothing." 

"  Thank'ee,  Captain  Cuffe ;  we  like  it  in  the  gun-room, 
and  got  off  a  fresh  cask  or  two,  this  morning,  while  the 
coun  was  sitting.  So  they  tell  me,  sir,  his  lordship  has  put 
his  name  to  it,  and  that  this  Frenchman  is  to  swing  from 
our  fore- yard-arm,  sometime  to-morrow  ?" 

"  It  stands  so  on  paper,  Winchester;  but  if  he  confess 
where  his  lugger  lies,  all  will  go  smoothly  enough  with  him. 
However,  as  things  look,  now,  we  '11  have  her,  and  thanks 
only  to  ourselves." 

"  Well,  sir,  that  will  be  best,  on  the  whole.  I  do  not  like 
to  see  a  man  selling  his  own  people." 

"  There  you  are  right  enough,  Winchester,  and  I  trust 
we  shall  get  along  without  it ;  though  the  luggsr  must  be 


LE     FEU-POLLBT.  291 

ouis.     I  sent  for  you,  by  the  way,  about  this  Bolt—some- 
thing  must  bo  done  with  that  fellow." 

"  It 's  a  clear  case  of  desertion,  Captain  CufTe ;  and,  as  it 
would  now  seem,  of  treason,  in  the  bargain.  I  would  rather 
hang  ten  such  chaps,  than  one  man  like  the  Frenchman." 

"  VVell,  it's  clear,  Mr.  Winchester,  you  do  not  beat 
malice  !  Have  you  forgotten  Porto  Ferrajo,  and  the  boats, 
already  ?  or  do  you  love  them  that  despitefully  use  you  ?" 

"  'T\yas  ail  fair  service,  sir,  and  one  never  thinks  any 
thing  of  that.  I  owe  this  Monsieur  Yvard  no  grudge  for 
what  he  did  ;  but,  now  it 's  all  fairly  over,  I  rather  like  him 
the  better  for  it.  But  it 's  a  very  different  matter  as  to  this 
Bolt ;  a  skulking  scoundrel,  who  would  let  other  men  fight 
his  country's  battles,  while  he  goes  a-privateering  against 
British  commerce." 

"  Ay,  there  's  the  rub,  Winchester !  Are  they  Us  coun 
try's  battles?" 

"  Why  we  took  him  for  an  Englishman,  sir,  and  we  must 
act  up  to  our  own  professions,  in  order  to  be  consistent." 

"  And  so  hang  an  innocent  man  for  a  treason  that  he 
could  not  commit?" 

"  Why,  Captain  CufFe,  do  you  believe  the  fellow's  whining 
story  about  his  being  a  Yankee?  If  that  be  true,  we  have 
done  him  so  much  injustice  already,  as  to  make  his  case  a 
very  hard  one.  For  my  part,  I  look  upon  all  these  fellows 
as  only  so  many  disaffected  Englishmen,  and  treat  them 
accordingly." 

"That  is  a  sure  way  to  quiet  one's  feelings,  Winchester, 
but  it 's  most  too  serious  when  it  comes  to  hanging.  If  Bolt 
reserve  any  punishment,  he  deserves  death ;  and  that  is  a 
matter  about  which  one  ought  to  be  tolerably  certain,  before 
he  pushes  things  too  far.  I  Ve  sometimes  had  my  doubts 
about  three  or  four  of  our  people's  being  Englishmen,  after 
all. 

"  There  can  be  no  certainty  in  these  matters,  unless  one 
could  carry  a  parish  register  for  the  whole  kingdom,  in  his 
ship,  Captain  Cuffe.  If  they  are  not  Englishmen,  why  do 
they  not  produce  satisfactory  proofs  to  show  it?  That  is 
but  reasonable,  you  must  allow,  sir?" 

"  I  don't  know,  Winchester ;  there  are  two  sides  to  that 
question,  too.  Suppose  the  King  of  Naples  should  seize 


292  LE     FEU-FOLLET 

you,  here,  ashore,  and  call  on  you  to  prove  that  you  are  not 
one  of  his  subjects  1 — How  would  you  go  to  work  to  make 
it  out — no  parish  register  being  at  hand '.'" 

"  Well,  then,  Captain  Cufie,  if  we  are  so  very  wrong,  we 
had  better  give  all  these  men  up,  at  once — though  one  of 
them  is  the  very  best  hand  in  the  ship ;  1  think  it  right  to 
tell  you  that,  sir." 

"There  is  a  wide  difference,  sir,  between  giving  a  man 
up,  and  hanging  him.  We  are  short-handed  as  it  is,  and 
cannot  spare  a  single  man.  I  've  been  looking  over  your 
station  bills,  and  they  never  appeared  so  feeble  before.  We 
want  eighteen  or  nineteen  good  seamen  to  make  them  re 
spectable  again ;  and,  though  this  Bolt  is  no  great  matter, 
as  a  seaman,  he  can  turn  his  hand  to  so  many  things,  that 
he  was  as  useful  as  the  boatswain.  In  a  word,  we  cannot 
spare  him ;  either  to  let  him  go,  or  to  hang  him ;  even  were 
the  latter  just." 

"I'm  sure,  sir,  I  desire  to  do  nothing  unjust,  and  so  act 
your  pleasure  in  the  affair." 

"  My  pleasure  is  just  this  then,  Winchester.  We  must 
turn  Bolt  to  duty.  If  the  fellow  is  really  an  American,  it 
would  be  a  wretched  business  even  to  flog  him  for  desertion ; 
and  as  to  treason,  you  know,  there  can  be  none  without 
allegiance.  Nelson  gives  me  a  discretion,  and  so  we'll  act 
on  the  safe  side,  and  just  turn  him  over  to  duty  again. 
When  there  comes  an  opportunity,  I  '11  inquire  into  the  facts 
of  his  case,  and  if  he  can  make  out  that  he  is  not  an  En 
glishman,  why  he  must  be  discharged.  The  ship  will  be 
going  home  in  a  year  or  two,  when  everything  can  be 
settled  fairly  and  deliberately.  I  dare  say,  Bolt  will  not 
object  to  the  terms." 

"  Perhaps  not,  sir.  Then  there 's  the  crew,  Captain 
Cuffe. — They  may  think  it  strange,  treason  and  desertion  go 
unpunished  !  These  fellows  talk  and  reason  more  than  is 
always  known,  aft." 

I  've  thought  of  all  that,  Winchester.  I  dare  say  you 
have  heard  of  such  a  thing  as  a  King's  evidence? — Well, 
here  has  Raoul  Yvard  been  tried  and  found  guilty  as  a  spy ; 
Bolt  having  been  a  witness.  A  few  remarks  judiciously 
made,  may  throw  everything  off  on  that  tack;  and  appear 
ances  will  be  preserved,  so  far  as  discipline  is  concerned." 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  298 

"  Yes,  sir,  tl>at  might  be  done,  it 's  true  ;  but  an  uneasy 
berth  will  the  poor  devil  have  of  it,  if  the  people  fancy  he 
has  been  a  Kind's  evidence  !  Men  of  that  class  hate  a 
traitor  worse  than  they  do  crime,  Captain  Cuffe,  and  they  '11 
ride  Bolt  down  like  the  main  tack." 

'*  Perhaps  not ;  and  if  they  do,  'twill  not  be  as  bad  as 
hanging.  The  fellow  must  think  himself  luckily  out  of  a 
bad  scrape,  and  thank  God  for  all  his  mercies.  You  can 
see  that  he  suffers  nothing  unreasonable,  or  greatly  out  of 
the  way.  So  send  an  order  to  the  master-at-arms  to  knock 
the  irons  off  the  chap,  and  send  him  to  duty,  before  you 
turn  in,  Winchester." 

This  settled  the  matter  as  to  Ithuel,  for  the  moment,  at 
least.  Cuffe  was  one  of  those  men  who  was  indisposed  to 
push  things  too  far,  while  he  found  it  difficult  to  do  his 
whole  duty.  There  was  not  an  officer  in  the  Proserpine 
who  had  any  serious  doubts  about  the  true  country  of  Bolt, 
though  there  was  not  one  officer,  among  them  all,  who 
would  openly  avow  it.  There  was  too  much  "  granite" 
about  Ithuel  to  permit  Englishmen  long  to  be  deceived, 
and  that  very  language  on  which  the  impressed  man  so 
much  prided  himself,  would  have  betrayed  his  origin,  had 
other  evidence  been  wanting.  Still  there  was  a  tenacity 
about  an  English  ship  of  war,  in  that  day,  that  did  not 
easily  permit  an  athletic  hand  to  escape  its  grasp,  when  it  had 
once  closed  upon  him.  In  a  great  and  enterprising  service, 
like  that  of  Great  Britain,  an  esprit  de  corps  existed  in  the 
respective  ships,  which  made  them  the  rivals  of  each  other, 
and  men  being  the  great  essentials  of  efficiency,  a  single 
seaman  was  relinquished  with  a  reluctance  that  must  have 
been  witnessed,  fully  to  be  understood.  Cuffe,  consequently 
could  not  make  up  his  mind  to  do  full  justice  to  Ithuel,  while 
he  could  not  make  up  his  mind  to  push  injustice  so  far  as 
trial  and  punishment.  Nelson  had  left  him  a  discretion,  as 
has  been  said,  and  this  he  chose  to  use  in  the  manner  just 
mentioned. 

Had  the  case  of  the  New  Hampshire  man  been  fairly 
brought  before  the  British  Admiral,  his  discharge  would 
have  been  ordered  without  hesitation.  Nelson  was  too  far 
removed  from  the  competition  of  the  separate  ships,  and 
ordinarily  under  the  control  of  too  high  motives,  to  be 
25* 


294  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

accessary  to  the  injustice  of  forcibly  detaining  a  foreigner 
in  his  country's  service ;  for  it  was  only  while  under  the 
ir/alicn  influence  to  which  there  has  already  been  allusion, 
that  lie  cessed  to  be  high-minded  and  just.  Prejudiced  he 
was,  and  in  some  cases,  exceedingly  so ;  America  standing 
but  little  better  in  his  eyes  than  France  herself.  For  the 
first  of  these  antipathies  he  had  some  apology  ;  since  in 
addition  to  the  aversion  that  was  naturally  produced  by  the 
history  of  the  cis-atlantic  Republic,  accident  had  thrown  him 
in  the  way,  in  the  West  Indies,  of  ascertaining  the  frauds, 
deceptions,  and  cupidities  of  a  class  of  men  that  never  ex 
hibit  national  character  in  its  brightest  and  most  alluring 
colours.  Still,  he  was  too  upright  of  mind,  willingly  to 
countenance  injustice,  and  too  chivalrous  to  oppress.  But 
Ithuel  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  one  who  fell  far  short  of 
the  high  qualities  of  the  Admiral,  while,  at  the  same  time, 
he  kept  clear  of  his  more  prominent  weaknesses,  and  who 
was  brought  within  the  sphere  of  the  competition  between 
the  respective  ships  and  their  crews. 

Winchester,  of  course,  obeyed  his  orders.  He  roused  the 
master-at-arms  from  his  hammock,  and  directed  him  to 
bring  Ithuel  Bolt  to  the  quarter-deck. 

"  In  consequence  of  what  took  place  this  morning,"  said 
the  first-lieutenant,  in  a  voice  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  all 
near  him,  "  Captain  CufTe  has  seen  fit  to  order  you  to  be 
released,  Bolt,  and  turned  to  duty  again.  You  will  know 
how  to  appreciate  this  leniency,  and  will  serve  with  greater 
zeal  than  ever,  I  make  no  doubt.  Never  forget  that  you 
have  been  with  a  yard-rope,  as  it  might  be,  round  your  neck. 
In  the  morning  you  wiU  be  stationed  and  berthed  anew." 

Ithuel  was  too  shrewd  to  answer.  He  fully  understood  the 
reason  why  he  escaped  punishment,  and  it  increased  his 
hopes  of  eventually  escaping  from  the  service  itself.  Still 
he  gagged  a  little  at  the  idea  of  passing  for  one  who  peached 
—or  for  a  "  /State Vevidence"  as  he  called  it ;  that  character 
involving  more  of  sin,  in  vulgar  eyes,  than  the  commission 
of  a  thousand  legal  crimes.  This  gave  Winchester  no  con 
cern.  After  dismissing  his  man,  he  gossiped  a  minute  or 
two  with  Yelvorton,  who  had  the  watch,  gaped  once  or  twice 
somewhat  provokingly,  and  going  below,  was  in  a  deep  sleep 
in  ten  minutes. 


LE     PEU-FOLLET.  295 


CHAPTER  XX. 

**  White  as  a  white  sail  on  a  dusky  sea, 
When  half  the  horizon  's  clouded  and  half  free, 
Fluttering  between  the  dun  wave  and  the  sky, 
Is  hope's  last  gleam  in  man's  extremity." 

The  Island. 

THE  dawning  of  day,  on  the  morning  which  succeeded, 
was  a  moment  of  great  interest,  on  board  the  different  Eng 
lish  ships  which  then  lay  off  the  Gulf  of  Salerno.  Cuffe 
and  Lyon  were  called,  according  to  especial  orders  left  by 
themselves,  while  even  Sir  Frederick  Dash  wood  allowed 
himself  to  be  awakened,  to  hear  the  report  of  the  officer  of  the 
deck.  The  first  was  up  quite  half-an-hour  before  the  light 
appeared.  He  even  went  into  the  main-top,  again,  in  order 
to  get  as  early  and  as  wide  a  survey  of  the  horizon  as  he 
wished.  Griffin  went  aloft  with  him,  and,  together  they 
stood  leaning  against  the  top-mast  rigging,  watching  the 
slow  approach  of  those  rays  which  gradually  diffused  them 
selves  over  the  whole  of  a  panorama  that  was  as  bewitching 
as  the  hour  and  the  lovely  accessories  of  an  Italian  landscape 
could  render  it. 

"  I  see  nothing,  in-shore"  exclaimed  Cuffe,  in  a  tone  of 
disappointment,  when  the  .light  permitted  a  tolerable  view  of 
the  coast.  "  If  she  should  be  outside  of  us,  our  work  will 
be  only  half  done!" 

"  There  is  a  white  speck  close  in  with  the  land,  sir," 
returned  Griffin ;  "  here,  in  the  direction  of  those  ruins,  of 
which  our  gentlemen  that  have  been  round  in  the  boats  to 
look  at,  tell  such  marvels ;  I  .believe,  however,  it  is  only  a 
felucca  or  a  sparanara.  There  is  a  peak  to  the  sail  that 
does  not  look  lugger-fashion." 

"  What  is  this,  off  here  at  the  north-west,  Griffin  1 — Is  it 
too  large  for  the  le  Few- Folly?" 

"  That  must  be  the  Terpsichore,  sir.  It 's  just  where  she 
ought  to  be,  as  I  understand  the  orders ;  and,  I  suppose,  Sir 
Frederick  has  carried  her  there.  But  yonder 's  a  sail,  in  the 


296  LB     FEU-FOLLET.' 

northern  board,  which  may  turn  out  to  be  the  lugger;  srhe's 
fairly  within  Campanella,  and  is  not  far  from  the  north  shore 
of  the  bay." 

"  By  George  !" — that  must  be  she  ;  Monsieur  Yvard  has 
kept  her  skulking  round  and  about  Amain,  all  this  time  I 
Let  us  go  down,  and  set  everything  that  will  draw,  at  once, 
sir." 

In  two  minutes  Griffin  was  on  deck,  hauling  the  yards, 
and  clearing  away  to  make  sail.  As  usual,  the  wind  was 
light  at  the  southward,  again,  and  the  course  would  be  nearly 
before  it.  Studding-sail  booms  were  to  be  run  out,  the  sails 
set,  and  the  ship's  head  laid  to  the  northward,  keeping  a 
little  to  seaward  of  the  chase.  At  this  moment  the  Proser 
pine  had  the  Point  of  Piane,  and  the  little  village  of  Abate, 
nearly  abeam.  The  ship  might  have  been  going  four  knots 
through  the  water,  and  the  distance  across  the  mouth  of  the 
bay  was  something  like  thirty  miles.  Of  course,  eight  hours 
would  be  necessary  to  carry  the  frigate  over  the  intervening 
space,  should  the  wind  stand,  as  it  probably  would  not,  at 
that  season  of  the  year.  A  week  later,  and  strong  southerly 
winds  might  be  expected,  but  that  week  was  as  interminable 
as  an  age,  for  any  present  purpose. 

Half-an-hour's  trial  satisfied  all  on  the  deck  of  the  Proser 
pine,  that  the  chase  was  keeping  off,  like  themselves,  and 
that  she  was  standing  towards  the  mountains  of  Amalfi. 
Her  progress,  too,  was  about  equal  to  that  of  the  frigate,  for, 
dead  before  the  wind,  the  latter  ship  was  merely  a  good 
sailer;  her  great  superiority  commencing  only  when  she 
brought  the  breeze  forward  of  the  beam.  It  had  been  sup 
posed  that  the  stranger,  when  first  seen,  was  about  fifteen 
miles  distant,  his  canvass  appearing  both  small  and  shape 
less  ;  but  some  doubts  now  began  to  be  entertained,  equally 
as  to  his  rig,  his  size,  and  his  distance.  If  a  large  or  a  lofty 
vessel,  of  course  he  must  be  materially  farther  off,  and  if  a 
large  or  lofty  vessel  it  could  not  be  le  Feu-Follet. 

The  other  frigate  took  her  cue  from  the  Proserpine,  and 
stood  across  for  the  northern  side  of  the  gulf;  a  certain  proof 
that  nothing  was  visible,  from  her  mast-heads,  to  lead  her 
in  any  other  direction.  Two  hours,  however,  satisfied  alJ 
on  board  the  latter  ship,  that  they  were  on  a  wrong  scent, 
and  that  the  vessel  to-leeward  was  their  own  consort,  the 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  297 

sloop ;  ^Lyon  having,  in  his  eagerness  to  get  the  prize  before 
she  could  be  seen  from  the  other  ships,  carried  the  Ringdove 
quite  within  the  bay,  and  thus  misled  CufFe  and  Sir  Frede 
rick. 

"  There  can  no  longer  be  any  doubt !"  exclaimed  the 
captain  of  the  Proserpine,  dropping  his  glass,  with  vexation 
too  strongly  painted  in  his  manner  to  be  mistaken  ;  "  that  is 
a  ship  ;  and,  as  you  say,  Winchester,  it  must  be  the  Ringdove; 
though  what  the  devil  Lyon  is  doing  away  in  there  with 
her,  unless  he  sees  something  close  under  the  land,  is  more 
than  I  can  tell.  As  there  is  clearly  nothing  in  this  quarter, 
we  will  stand  on,  and  take  a  look  for  ourselves." 

This  nearly  destroyed  the  hope  of  success.  The  officers 
began  to  suspect  that  their  look-out  on  Campanella  had  been 
deceived,  and  that  what  he  had  supposed  to  be  a  lugger,  was, 
in  truth,  a  felucca,  or  perhaps  a  xebec  ;  a  craft  which  might 
well  be  mistaken  for  a  lugger,  at  the  distance  of  a  few 
leagues.  The  error,  however,  was  with  those  in  the  ship. 
The  officer  sent  upon  the  heights  was  a  shrewd,  practised 
masters-mate,  who  knew  everything  about  his  profession, 
that  properly  came  within  his  line,  and  knew  little  else. 
But  for  a  habit  of  drinking,  he  would  long  since  have  been 
a  lieutenant,  being,  in  truth,  an  older  sailor  than  Winches 
ter  ;  but,  satisfied  of  his  own  infirmity,  and  coming  from  a 
class  in  life  in  which  preferment  was  viewed  as  a  God-send, 
rather  than  as  a  right,  he  had  long  settled  down  into  the 
belief  that  he  was  to  live  and  die  in  his  present  station,  thereby 
losing  most  of  the  desire  to  rise.  The  name  of  this  man  was 
Clinch.  In  consequence  of  his  Ior>g  experience,  within  the 
circle  of  his  duties,  his  opinion  was  greatly  respected  by  his 
superiors,  when  he  was  sober ;  and,  as  he  had  the  precaution 
not  to  be  otherwise,  when  engaged  on  service,  his  weakness 
seldom  brought  him  into  any  serious  difficulties.  CufFe,  as 
a  last  hope,  had  sent  him  up  on  the  heights  of  Campanella, 
with  a  perfect  conviction  that,  if  anything  were  really  in 
sight,  he  would  not  fail  to  see  it.  All  this  confidence,  how- 
ever,  had  now  ended  in  disappointment ;  and,  half-an-hour 
later,  when  it  was  announced  to  CufFe,  that  "  the  cutter,  with 
Mr.  Clinch,  was  coming  down  the  bay  towards  them,"  the 
former  even  heard  the  name  of  his  drunken  favourite  with 
disgust.  As  was  usual  with  him,  when  out  of  humour,  he 


298  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

went  below,  as  the  boat  drew  near,  leaving  orders  for  her 
officer  to  be  sent  down  to  him,  the  instant  the  latter  got  on 
board.  Five  minutes  later,  Clinch  thrust  his  hard-looking, 
weather-beaten,  but  handsome  red  countenance  in  at  the 
cabin-door. 

"  Well,  sir,"  commenced  the  captain,  on  a  tolerably  high 

key — "  a  d d  pretty  wud  goose  chase  you've  sent  us  all 

on,  down  hereunto  this  bay!  The  southerly  wind  is  failing 
already,  and,  in  half-an-hour,  the  ships  will  be  frying  the  pitch 
off  their  decks,  without  a  breath  of  air:  when  the  wind  does 
come,  it  will  come  out  at  west,  an4  bring  us  all  four  or  five 
leagues  dead  to  leeward !" 

Clinch's  experience  had  taught  hrn*  the  useful  man-of-war 
lesson,  to  bow  to  the  tempest,  and  no*  to  attempt  to  brave  it. 
Whenever  he  was  "  rattled-down,"  a?  he  called  it,  he  had 
the  habit  of  throwing  an  expression  of  surprise,  comically 
blended  with  contrition,  into  his  countenance  that  seemed  to 
say,  "  what  have  I  done,  now  ?" — or,  "  if  I  have  done  any 
thing  amiss,  you  see  how  sorry  I  am  for  it/'  He  met  hia 
irritated  commander,  on  the  present  occasion,  with  this  ex 
pression,  and  it  produced  the  usual  effect  of  nwliitying  him, 
a  little. 

"Well,  sir  —  explain  this  matter,  if  you  please/'  con 
tinued  Cuffe,  after  a  moment's  hesitation. 

"  Will  you  please  to  tell  me,  sir,  what  you  wish  ex 
plained  ?"  inquired  Clinch,  throwing  more  surprise  than 
common,  even,  into  his  countenance. 

"  That  is  an  extraordinary  question,  Mr.  Clinch  !  I  wish 
the  signal  you  made  from  yonder  head-land  explained,  sir. 
Did  you  not  signal  the  ship,  to  say  that  you  saw  the  le 
Few-Folly  down  here,  at  the  southward  ?" 

"  Well,  sir,  I  'm  glad  there  was  no  mistake  in  the  matter,' 
answered  Clinch,  in  a  confident  and  a  relieved  manner.  "I 
was  afraid,  at  first,  Captain  Cuffe,  my  signal  had  not  been 
understood." 

"  Understood  ! — How  could  it  be  mistaken?  You  showed 
a  black  ball,  for  'the  lugger's  in  sight.'  You'll  not  deny 
that,  I  trust!" 

"No,  sir  —  one  black  ball,  for  'the  lugger's  in  sight.' 
That 's  just  what  I  did  show,  Captain  Cuffe." 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  299 

'«  And  three  black  balls  together,  for  'she  bears  due  south  " 
from  Capri.'  What  do  you  say  to  that  ?" 

"  All  right,  sir.  Three  black  balls  together,  for  *  she 
bears  due  south  from  Capri.'  I  didn't  tell  the  distance, 
Captain  Cuffe,  because  Mr.  Winchester  gave  me  no  signals 
for  that." 

"  And  these  signals  you  kept  showing  every  half-hour, 
as  long  as  it  was  light ;  even  until  the  Proserpine  was  off." 

"  All  according  to  orders,  Captain  Cuffe,  as  Mr.  Winches 
ter  will  tell  you.  I  was  to  repeat  every  half-hour,  as  long 
as  the  lugger  was  in  sight,  and  the  day  lasted." 

"  Ay,  sir ;  but  you  were  not  ordered  to  send  us  after  a 
jack-o'-lantern,  or  to  mistake  some  xebec  or  other,  from 
one  of  the  Greek  islands,  for  a  light,  handy  French  lugger." 

"  Nor  did  I,  Captain  Cuffe,  begging  your  pardon,  sir.  I 
signalled  the  Few-Folly,  and  nothing  else,  I  give  you  my 
word  for  it." 

Cuffe  looked  hard  at  the  master's-mate  for  half  a  minute, 
and  his  ire  insensibly  lessened  as  he  gazed. 

"  You  are  too  old  a  seaman,  Clinch,  not  to  know  what 
you  were  about !  If  you  saw  the  privateer,  be  good  enough 
to  tell  us  what  has  become  of  her  ?" 

"  That  is  more  than  I  can  say,  Captain  Cuffe,  though  see 
her  I  did ;  and  that  so  plainly,  as  to  be  able  to  make  out 
her  jigger,  even.  You  know,  sir,  we  shot  away  her  jigger- 
mast  in  the  chase  off  Elba,  and  she  got  a  new  one  that 
Steves  for'rard  uncommonly.  I  noticed  that  when  we  fell 
in  with  her  in  the  canal  of  Piombino ;  and  seeing  it  again, 
could  not  but  know  it.  But  there 's  no  mistaking  the  saucy 
Folly,  for  them  that  has  once  seen  her ;  and  I  am  certain  we 
made  her  out,  about  four  leagues  to  the  southward  of  the 
cape,  at  the  time  I  first  signalled." 

"  Four  leagues !  —  I  had  thought  she  must  be  at  least 
eight  or  ten,  and  kept  off  that  distance,  to  get  her  in  the  net. 
Why  did  you  not  let  us  know  her  distance  ?" 

"  Had  no  signals  for  that,  Captain  Cuffe." 

"  Well,  then,  why  not  send  a  boat  to  tell  us  the  fact?" 

"  Had  no  orders,  sir.  Was  told  by  Mr.  Winchester  just 
to  signal  the  lugger  and  her  bearings ;  and  this,  you  must 
own,  Captain  Cuffe,  we  did  plain  enough.  Besides,  sir—" 


300  LE     FEU-FOLJLET. 

"  Well ;  besides  what  ?"  demanded  the  captain,  observing 
that  the  master's-mate  hesitated. 

"  Why,  sir,  how  was  I  to  know  that  any  one  in  the  ship 
would  think  a  lugger  could  be  seen  eight  or  ten  leagues  ? 
That's  a  long  bit  of  water,  sir;  and  it  would  take  a  heavy 
ship's  spars  to  rise  high  enough  for  such  a  sight." 

"  The  land  you  were  on,  Clinch,  was  much  loftier  than 
any  vessels  spars." 

"  Quite  true,  sir ;  but  not  lofty  enough  for  that,  Captain 
CufFe.  That  I  saw  the  Folly,  I  'm  as  certain  as  I  am  of 
being  in  this  cabin." 

"  What  has  become  of  her,  then  1 : —  You  perceive  she  13 
not  in  the  bay  now." 

"  I  suppose,  Captain  CufFe,  that  she  stood  in  until  near 
enough  for  her  purpose,  and  that  she  must  have  hauled  off 
the  land,  after  night  set  in.  There  was  plenty  of  room  fop 
her  to  pass  out  to  sea  again  between  the  two  frigates,  and 
not  be  seen  in  the  dark." 

This  conjecture  was  so  plausible,  as  to  satisfy  CufFe;  ana 
yet  it  was  not  the  fact.  Clinch  had  made  le  Feu-Follet, 
from  his  elevated  post,  to  the  southward,  as  his  signal  had 
said ;  and  he  was  right  in  all  his  statements  about  her,  until 
darkness  concealed  her  movements.  Instead  of  passing  out 
of  the  Bay,  as  he  imagined,  however,  she  had  hauled  up 
within  a  quarter  of  a  league  of  Campanella,  doubled  that 
point,  brushed  along  the  coast  to  the  northward  of  it,  fairly 
within  the  Bay  of  Naples,  and  pushed  out  to  sea,  between 
Capri  and  Ischia ;  going  directly  athwart  the  anchorage  the 
men-of-war  had  so  recently  quitted,  in  order  to  do  so. 

When  Raoul  quitted  his  vessel,  he  ordered  her  to  stand 
directly  ofF  the  land,  just  keeping  Ischia  and  Capri  in  view, 
lying-to  under  her  jigger.  As  this  was  low  sail,  and  a  lug 
ger  shows  so  little  aloft,  it  was  a  common  expedient  with 
cruisers  of  that  rig,  when  they  wished  to  escape  observation. 
Monsieur  Pintard,  Raoul's  first-lieutenant,  had  expected  a 
signal  from  his  commander  at  the  very  spot  where  Clinch 
had  taken  his  station ;  but  seeing  none,  he  had  swept  along 
the  coast,  after  dark,  in  the  hope  of  discovering  his  position 
by  the  burning  of  a  blue-light.  Failing  of  this,  however,  he 
went  ofF  the  land  again,  in  time  to  get  an  offing  before  the 
return  of  day,  and  to  save  the  wind.  It  was  the  boldness 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  301 

of  the  manoeuvre,  that  saved  the  lugger ;  Lyon  going  out 
through  the  pass  between  Capri  and  Campanolla,  about 
twenty  minutes  before  Pintard  brushed  close  round  the 
rocks,  under  his  jigger  and  jib  only,  anxiously  looking  out 
for  a  signal  from  his  captain.  The  Frenchmen  saw  the 
sloop-of-war  quite  plainly,  and,  by  the  aid  of  their  night- 
glasses,  ascertained  her  character;  mistaking  her,  however, 
for  another  ship,  bound  to  Sicily  or  Malta ;  while  their  own 
vessel  escaped  observation,  owing  to  the  little  sail  she  car 
ried,  the  want  of  hamper,  and  her  situation  so  near  the  land, 
which  gave  her  a  back-ground  of  rocks.  Clinch  had  not 
seen  the  movements  of  the  lugger  after  dark,  in  consequence 
of  his  retiring  to  the  village  of  St.  Agata  to  seek  lodgings, 
as  soon  as  he  perceived  that  his  own  ship  had  gone  to  sea, 
and  left  him  and  his  boat's  crew  behind.  The  following 
morning,  when  he  made  the  ship  to  the  southward,  he  pushed 
off,  and  pulled  towards  his  proper  vessel,  as  related. 

"  Where  did  you  pass  the  night,  Clinch  ?"  demanded  the 
captain,  after  they  had  discussed  the  probabilities  of  the  lug- 
ger's  escape.  "  Not  on  the  heights,  under  the  canopy  of 
heaven  ?" 

"  On  the  heights,  and  under  the  great  canopy  that  has 
covered  us  both  so  often,  Captain  Cuffe ;  but  with  a  good 
Neapolitan  mud-roof  between  it  and  my  head.  As  soon  as 
it  was  dark,  and  I  saw  that  the  ship  was  off,  I  found  a  vil 
lage  named  St.  Agata,  that  stands  on  the  heights,  just  abeam 
of  those  rocks  they  call  the  Sirens,  and  there  we  were  well 
berthed  until  morning." 

"  You  are  lucky  in  bringing  back  all  the  boat's  crew, 
Clinch.  You  know  it's  low-water  with  us  as  to  men,  just 
now ;  and  our  fellows  are  not  all  to  be  trusted  ashore,  in  a 
country  that  is  full  of  stone  walls,  good  wine,  and  pretty 
girls." 

"  I  always  take  a  set  of  regular  steady-ones  with  me, 
Captain  Cuffe ;  I  have  n't  lost  a  man  from  a  boat,  these  five 
years." 

*•  You  must  have  some  secret,  then,  worth  knowing ;  for 
even  the  admirals  sometimes  lose  their  barge-men.  I  dare 
say,  now,  yours  are  all  married  chaps,  that  hold  on  to  their 
wives,  is  so  many  sheet-anchors ;  they  say  that  is  often  a 
good  expedient." 
26 


302  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"  Not  at  all,  sir.  I  did  try  that,  till  I  found  that  half  the 
fellows  would  run  to  get  rid  of  their  wives.  The  Portsmouth 
and  Plymouth  marriages  don't  always  bring  large  estates 
with  them,  sir,  and  the  bridegrooms  like  to  cut  adrift  at  the 
end  of  the  honey-moon.  Don't  you  remember  when  we 
were  in  the  Blenheim  together,  sir,  we  lost  eleven  of  the 
launch's  crew  at  one  time ;  and  nine  of  them  turned  out  to 
be  vagabonds,  sir,  that  deserted  their  weeping  wives  and 
suffering  families  at  home  !" 

"  Now  you  mention  it,  I  do  remember  something  of  the 
sort ;  draw  a  chair,  Clinch,  and  take  a  glass  of  grog.  Tim, 
put  a  bottle  of  Jamaica  before  Mr.  Clinch.  I  have  heard  it 
said  that  you  are  married  yourself,  my  gallant  master's- 
mate?" 

"  Lord,  Captain  Cuffe,  that 's  one  of  the  young  gentle 
men's  stories  !  If  a  body  believed  all  they  say,  the  Chris 
tian  religion  would  soon  get  athwart-hawse,  and  mankind  be 
all  adrift  in  their  morals,"  answered  Clinch,  smacking  his 
lipsi  after  a  very  grateful  draught.  "  We  've  a  regular  set 
of  high-flyers,  aboard  this  ship,  at  this  blessed  minute,  Cap 
tain  Cuffe,  sir,  and  Mr.  Winchester  has  his  hands  full  of 
them  !  I  often  wonder  at  his  patience,  sir." 

"  We  were  young  once  ourselves,  Clinch,  and  ought  to 
be  indulgent  to  the  follies  of  youth.  But,  what  sort  of  a 
berth  did  you  find  last  night,  upon  the  rocks  yonder  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  as  good  as  one  can  expect  out  of  Old  Eng 
land.  I  fell  in  with  an  elderly  woman  calling  herself  Giun- 
totardi — which  is  regular-built  Italian,  isn't  it,  sir?" 

"That  it  is — but,  you  speak  the  language,  I  believe, 
Clinch  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  I  've  been  drifting  about  the  world  so  long, 
that  I  speak  a  little  of  everything,  finding  it  convenient 
when  I  stand  in  need  of  victuals  and  drink.  The  old  lady 
on  the  hill  and  I  overhauled  a  famous  yarn  between  us,  sir. 
It  seems  she  has  a  niece  and  a  brother  at  Naples,  who  ought 
to  have  been  back  night  before  last ;  and  she  was  in  lots  of 
tribulation  about  them,  wanting  to  know  if  our  ship  had  seen 
anything  of  the  rovers  ?" 

"  By  George,  Clinch,  you  were  on  soundings,  there,  had 
you  but  known  it !  Our  prisoner  has  been  in  that  part  of 
the  w^rld,  and  we  might  get  some  clue  to  his  manoeuvres 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  303 

by  questioning  the  old  woman  closely.  I  hope  you  parted 
good  friends  1" 

"The  best  in  the  world,  Captain  Cuffe.  No  one  that 
feeds  and  lodges  me  well,  need  dread  me  as  an  enemy." 

"  I  '11  warrant  it !  That 's  the  reason  you  are  so  loyal, 
Clinch." 

The  hard,  red  face  of  the  master's-mate  worked  a  little, 
and,  though  he  could  not  well  look  all  sorts  of  colours,  he 
looked  all  ways,  but  in  his  captain's  eye.  It  was  now  ten 
years  since  he  ought  to  have  been  a  lieutenant,  having  once 
actually  outranked  Cuffe,  in  the  way  of  date  of  service  at 
least ;  and  his  conscience  told  him  two  things,  quite  distinctly  ; 
first,  the  fact  of  his  long  and  weary  probation;  and  second, 
that  it  was,  in  a  great  degree,  his  own  fault. 

"  I  love  His  Majesty,  sir,"  Clinch  observed,  after  giving 
a  gulp,"  and  I  never  lay  anything  that  goes  hard  with  my 
self  to  his  account.  Still,  memory  will  be  memory ;  and 
spite  of  all  I  can  do,  sir,  I  sometimes  remember  what  I 
might  have  been,  as  well  as  what  I  am.  If  His  Majesty 
does  feed  me,  it  is  with  the  spoon  of  a  master's-mate ;  and 
if  he  does  lodge  me,  it  is  in  the  cockpit." 

"  I  have  been  your  shipmate,  often,  and  for  years  at  a 
time,"  answered  Cuffe,  good-naturedly,  though  a  little  in 
the  manner  of  a  superior  ;  "  and  no  one  knows  your  history 
better.  It  is  not  your  friends  who  have  failed  you,  at  need, 
so  much  as  a  certain  enemy,  with  whom  you  will  insist  on 
associating,  though  he  harms  them  most,  who  love  him 
best." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir — that  can't  be  denied.  Captain  Cuffe;  yet 
it 's  a  hard  life  that  passes  altogether  without  hope." 

This  was  uttered  with  an  expression  of  melancholy  that 
said  more  for  Clinch's  character  than  Cuffe  had  witnessed 
in  the  man  for  years,  and  it  revived  many  early  impressions 
in  his  favour.  Clinch  and  he  had  once  been  messmates, 
even  ;  and,  though  years  of  a  decided  disparity  in  rank  had 
since  interposed  their  barrier  of  etiquette  and  feeling,  Cuffe 
never  could  entirely  forget  the  circumstance. 

"  It  ic  hard,  indeed,  to  live  as  you  say,  without  hope," 
returned  the  captain  ;  "  but  hope  ought  to  be  the  last  thing 
to  die.  You  should  make  one  more  rally,  Clinch,  before 
you  throw  up,  in  despair." 


304.  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"It's  not  so  much  for  myself,  Captain  CufFe,  that  I  mind 
it,  as  for  some  that  live  ashore.  My  father  was  as  reputa 
ble  a  tradesman  as  there  was  in  Plymouth,  and  when  he  got 
me  on  the  quarter-deck,  he  thought  he  was  about  to  make  a 
gentleman  of  me,  instead  of  leaving  me  to  pass  a  life,  in  a 
situation  that  may  be  said  to  be  even  beneath  what  his  own 
was." 

"  Now  you  undervalue  your  station,  Clinch.  The  berth 
of  a  master's-mate,  in  one  of  His  Majesty's  finest  frigates,  is 
something  to  be  proud  of;  I  was  once  a  master's-mate — 
nay,  Nelson  has  doubtless  filled  the  same  station.  For  that 
matter,  one  of  His  Majesty's  own  sons  may  have  gone  through 
the  rank." 

"  Ay,  gone  through  it,  as  you  say,  sir,"  returned  Clinch, 
with  a  husky  voice.  "  It  does  well  enough  for  them  that  go 
through  it,  but  it's  death  to  them  that  stick.  It 's  a  feather 
in  a  midshipman's  cap  to  be  rated  a  mate ;  but  it 's  no 
honour  to  be  a  mate,  at  my  time  of  life,  Captain  Cuffe." 

"What  is  your  age,  Clinch? — You  are  not  much  my 
senior." 

"  Your  senior,  sir  ! — The  difference  in  our  years  is  not  as 
great  as  in  our  rank,  certainly,  though  I  never  shall  see 
thirty-two,  again.  But  it's  not  so  much  that,  after  all,  as 
the  thoughts  of  my  poor  mother,  who  set  her  he"art  on  seeing 
me  with  His  Majesty's  commission  in  my  pocket ;  and  of 
another,  who  set  her  heart  on  one  that  I  'm  afraid  was  never 
worthy  her  affection." 

"  This  is  new  to  me,  Clinch,"  returned  the  captain,  with 
interest.  "  One  so  seldom  thinks  of  a  master's-mate  mar 
rying,  that  the  idea  of  your  being  in  that  way  ha  *  never 
crossed  my  mind,  except  in  the  manner  of  a  />ke." 

"  Master's-tnates  have  married,  Captain  Cuffe,  anJ  they 
have  ended  in  being  very  miserable.  But  Jane,  as  well  as 
myself,  has  made  up  her  mind  to  live  single,  unless  we  can 
see  brighter  prospects  before  us  than  what  my  present  hopes 
afford." 

"  Is  it  quite  right,  Jack,  to  keep  a  poor  young  woman, 
towing  along  in  this  uncertainty,  during  the  period  of  life 
when  her  chances  for  making  a  good  connection  are  tho 
best?" 

Clinch  stared  at  his  commander,  until  his  eyes  filled  with 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  305 

tears.  The  glass  had  not  touched  his  lips  since  the  con 
versation  took  its  present  direction  ;  and  the  usual,  hard,  set 
tled  character  of  his  lace  was  becoming  expressive,  once 
more,  with  human  emotions. 

"  It 's  not  my  fault,  Captain  Cuffe,"  he  answered,  in  a 
low  voice ;  "  it 's  now  quite  six  years,  since  I  insisted  on 
her  giving  me  up ;  but  she  wouldn't  hear  of  the  thing.  A 
very  respectable  attorney  wished  to  have  her,  and  I  even 
prayed  her  to  accept  his  offer;  and  the  only  unkind  glance 
I  ever  got  from  her  eye,  was  when  she  heard  me  make  a 
request  that  she  told  me  sounded  impiously,  almost,  to  her 
ears.  She  would  be  a  sailor's  wife,  or  die  a  maid." 

"  The  girl  has  unfortunately  got  some  romantic  notions 
concerning  the  profession,  Clinch,  and  they  are  ever  the 
hardest  to  be  convinced  of  what  is  lor  their  own  good." 

"  Jane  Weston  !  —  Not  she,  sir — There  is  not  as  much 
romance  about  her,  as  in  the  fly-leaves  of  a  prayer-book. 
She  is  all  heart*  poar  Jane ;  and  how  I  came  to  get  such  a 
hold  of  it,  Captain  Cuffe,  is  a  great  mystery  to  myself.  I 
certainly  do  not  deserve  half  her  affection,  and  I  now  begin 
to  despair  of  ever  being  able  to  repay  her  for  it." 

Clinch  was  still  a  handsome  man,  though  exposure  and  his 
habits  had  made  some  inroads  on  a  countenance,  that  by 
nature  was  frank,  anen,  and  prepossessing.  It  now  ex 
pressed  the  anguish  that  occasionally  came  over  his  heart, 
as  the  helplessness  of  his  situation  presented  itself  fully  to 
his  mind.  Cuffe's  feelings  were  touched,  for  he  remem 
bered  the  time  when  they  were  messmates,  with  a  future  before 
them,  that  promised  no  more  to  the  one  than  to  the  other, 
the  difference  in  the  chances  which  birth  afforded  the  cap 
tain,  alone  excepted.  Clinch  was  a  prime  seaman,  and  as 
brave  as  a  lion,  too ;  qualities  that  secured  to  him  a  degree 
of  respect,  that  his  occasional  self-forgetfulness  had  never 
entirely  forfeited.  Some  persons  thought  him  the  most 
skilful  mariner  the  Proserpine  contained ;  and,  perhaps, 
this  was  true,  if  the  professional  -skill  were  confined  strictly 
to  the  handling  of  a  ship,  or  to  taking  care  of  her  on  critical 
occasions.  All  these  circumstances  induced  Cuffe  to  enter 
more  closely  into  the  master-mate's  preset  distress  thao  he 
might  otherwise  have  done.  Instead  «**  «hnv'a£  tha  bottle 
to  him,  however,  as  if  conscious  how 
26* 


306  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

nope  had  already  driven  the  other  to  its  indiscreet  use,  he 
pushed  it  gently  aside,  and  taking  his  old  messmate's  hand, 
with  a  momentary  forgetfulness  of  the  difference  in  rank,  he 
said  in  a  tone  of  kindness  and  confidence,  that  had  long 
been  strangers  to  Clinch's  ears — 

"  Jack,  my  honest  fellow,  there  is  good  stuff  in  you  yet, 
if  you  will  only  give  it  fair  play.  Make  a  manly  rally, 
respect  yourself  for  a  few  months,  and  something  will  turn 
up,  that  will  yet  give  you  your  Jane,  and  gladden  your  old 
mother's  heart." 

There  are  periods  in  the  lives  of  men,  when  a  few  kind 
words,  backed  by  a  friendly  act  or  two,  might  save  thou 
sands  of  human  beings  from  destruction.  Such  was  the 
crisis  in  the  fate  of  Clinch.  He  had  almost  given  up  hope, 
though  it  did  occasionally  revive  in  him,  whenever  he  got  a 
cheering  letter  from  the  constant  Jane,  who  pertinaciously 
refused  to  believe  anything  to  his  prejudice,  and  religiously 
abstained  from  all  reproaches.  But,  it  is  necessary  to  under 
stand  the  influence  of  rank,  on  board  a  man-of-war,  fuljy 
to  comprehend  the  effect,  which  was  now  produced  on  the 
master's-mate,  by  the  captain's  language  and  manner. 
Tears  streamed  out  of  the  eyes  of  Clinch,  and  he  grasped 
the  hand  of  his  commander,  almost  convulsively. 

"  What  can  I  do,  sir  1 — Captain  Cuffe,  what  can  I  do  ?" 
he  exclaimed.  "  My  duty  is  never  neglected  ;  but  there  are 
moments  of  despair,  when  I  find  the  burthen  too  hard  to  be 
borne,  without  calling  upon  the  bottle  for  support." 

"  Whenever  a  man  drinks  with  such  a  motive,  Clinch,  I 
would  advise  him  to  abstain  altogether.  He  cannot  trust 
himself;  and  that  which  he  terms  his  friend,  is,  in  truth,  his 
direst  enemy.  Refuse  your  rations,  even  ;  determine  to  be 
free.  One  week,  nay,  one  day,  may  give  a  strength  that 
will  enable  you  to  conquer,  by  leaving  your  reason  unim 
paired.  Absence  from  the  ship  has  accidentally  befriended 
you,  for  the  little  you  have  taken  here,  has  not  been  suffi 
cient  to  do  any  harm.  We  are  now  engaged  on  a  most 
interesting  duty,  and  I  will  throw  service  into  your  way, 
that  may  be  of  importance  to  you.  Get  your  name  once 
fairly  in  a  despatch,  and  your  commission  is  safe.  Nelson 
loves  to  prefer  old  tars  ;  and  nothing  would  make  him 
happier,  than  to  be  able  to  serve  you  Put  it  in  my  power 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  307 

to  ask  it  of  him,  and  I  '11  answer  for  the  result.  Something 
may  yet  come  out  of  your  visit  to  the  cottage  of  this  woman, 
and  do  you  be  mindful  to  keep  yourself  in  fortune's  way." 

"  God  bless  you,  Captain  Cuffe —  God  bless  you,  sir,"-— 
answered  Clinch,  nearly  choked, — "  I  '11  endeavour  to  do  as 
you  wish." 

"  Remember  Jane  and  your  mother.  With  such  a  woman 
dependent  for  her  happiness  on  his  existence,  a  man  must 
be  a  brute,  not  to  struggle  hard." 

Clinch  groaned,  for  Cuffe  probed  his  wound  deep  ;  though 
it  was  done  with  an  honest  desire  to  cure.  After  wiping 
the  perspiration  from  his  face,  and  writhing  on  his  chair, 
however,  he  recovered  a  little  of  his  self-command,  and  be 
came  comparatively  composed. 

"If  a  friend  could  only  point  out  the  way  by  which  I 
might  recover  some  of  the  lost  ground,"  he  said,  "  my  gra 
titude  to  him  would  last  as  long  as  life,  Captain  Cuffe." 

"  Here  is  an  opening  then,  Clinch.  Nelson  attaches  as 
much  importance  to  our  catching  this  lugger  as  he  ever  did 
to  falling  in  with  a  fleet.  The  officer  who  is  serviceable  on 
this  occasion  may  be  sure  of  being  remembered,  and  I  will 
give  you  every  chance  in  my  power.  Go,  dress  yourself  in 
your  best;  make  yourself  look  as  you  know  you  can;  then 
be  ready  for  boat  service.  I  have  some  duty  for  you  now, 
which  will  be  but  the  beginning  of  good  luck,  if  you  only 
remain  true  to  your  mother,  to  Jane,  and  to  yourself." 

A  new  life  was  infused  into  Clinch.  For  years  he  had 
been  overlooked ;  apparently  forgotten,  except  when  tho 
rough  seamanship  was  required ;  and  even  his  experiment 
of  getting  transferred  to  a  vessel  commanded  by  an  old 
messmate  had  seemingly  failed.  Here  was  a  change,  how 
ever,  and  a  ray,  brighter  than  common,  shone  athwart  the 
darkness  of  his  future.  Even  Cuffe  was  struck  with  the 
cheerfulness  of  his  countenance,  and  the  alacrity  of  the 
master's-mate's  movements,  and  he  reproached  himself  with 
having  so  long  been  indifferent  to  the  best  interests  of  one 
who  certainly  had  some  claims  on  his  friendship.  Still, 
there  was  nothing  unusual  in  the  present  relations  between 
these  old  messmates.  Favoured  by  family  and  friends, 
Cuffe  had  never  been  permitted  to  fall  into  despondency,  and 
had  pursued  his  career  successfully  and  with  spirit ;  while 


308  LE     PEU-FOLLET. 

the  other,  unsupported,  and  failing  of  any  immediate  oppor 
tunity  for  getting  ahead,  had  fallen  into  evil  ways,  and  corne 
to  be,  by  slow  degrees,  the  man  he  was.  Such  instances  as 
the  latter,  are  of  not  unfrequent  occurrence  even  in  a  marine 
in  which  promotion  is  as  regular  as  our  own,  though  it  is 
rare  indeed  that  a  man  recovers  his  lost  ground,  when  placed 
in  circumstances  so  trying. 

In  half  an  hour  Clinch  was  ready,  dressed  in  his  best. 
The  gentlemen  of  the  quarter-deck  saw  all  these  prepara 
tions  with  surprise ;  for,  of  late,  the  master's-mate  had  sel 
dom  been  seen  in  that  part  of  the  ship  at  all.  But,  in  a 
man-of-war,  discipline  is  a  matter  of  faith,  and  no  one  pre 
sumed  to  ask  questions.  Clinch  was  closeted  with  the 
Captain  for  a  few  minutes,  received  his  orders,  and  went 
over  the  ship's  side  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  actually 
entering  the  Captain's  gig,  the  fastest  rowing  boat  of  the 
ship.  As  soon  as  seated,  he  shoved  off',  and  held  his  way 
towards  the  point  of  Campanella,  then  distant  about  three 
leagues.  No  one  knew  whither  he  was  bound,  though  all 
believed  it  was  on  duty  that  related  to  the  lugger,  and  duty 
that  required  a  seaman's  judgment.  As  for  Cuffe,  his  man 
ner,  which  had  begun  to  be  uneasy  and  wandering,  became 
more  composed  when  he  saw  his  old  messmate  fairly  off*, 
and  that  too,  at  a  rate  which  would  carry  him  even  to 
Naples,  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours  should  his  voyage 
happen  to  be  so  long. 


CHAPTEK  XXL 

"His  honour's  link'd 
Unto  his  life;  he  that  will  seek  the  one 
Must  venture  for  the  other,  or  lose  both." 

TATHAM. 

IT  was  now  certain  that  le  Feu-Follet  was  not  in  the  Bay 
of  Salerno.  By  means  of  the  lofty  spars  of  the  ship,  and 
the  aid  of  glasses,  the  whole  coast  had  been  effectually  sur- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  309 

veyed,  and  no  signs  of  such  a  craft  were  visible.  Even 
Lyon  had  given  it  up,  had  wore  round,  and  was  standing 
along  the  land  again,  towards  Campanella,  a  disappointed 
man.  As  Cuffe  expected  the  next  wind  from  the  westward, 
he  continued  on  to  the  northward,  however,  intending  to  go 
off  Amalfi,  and  question  any  fisherman  he  might  fall  in  with. 
Leaving  the  ship  slowly  pursuing  her  course  in  that  direc 
tion,  then,  we  will  turn  our  attention  to  the  state  of  the 
prisoners. 

Ghita  and  her  uncle  had  been  properly  cared  for,  all  this 
time.  The  gunner's  wife  lived  on  board,  and,  being  a 
respectable  woman,  Cuffe  had  the  delicacy  to  send  the  poor 
girl  forward  to  the  state-room  and  mess  of  this  woman. 
Her  uncle  was  provided  for  near  by,  and,  as  neither  was 
considered  in  any  degree  criminal,  it  was  the  intention  to 
put  them  ashore,  as  soon  as  it  was  certain  that  no  informa 
tion  concerning  the  lugger  was  to  be  obtained  from  them 
Ithucl  was  at  duty  again,  having  passed  half  the  morning  in 
the  fore-top.  The  shore-boat,  which  was  in  the  way  on 
deck,  was  now  struck  into  the  water,  and  was  towing  astern, 
in  waiting  for  the  moment  when  Carlo  Giuntotardi  and  his 
niece  were  to  be  put  in  possession  of  it  again,  and  permitted 
to  depart.  This  moment  was  delayed,  however,  until  the 
ship  should  again  double  Campanella,  and  be  once  more  in 
the  Bay  of  Naples,  as  it  would  have  been  cruel  to  send  two 
such  persons  as  the  uncle  and  niece  adrift,  at  any  material 
distance  from  their  proper  place  of  landing. 

It  was  very  different  with  Raoul  Yvard,  however.  He 
was  under  the  charge  of  a  sentry  on  the  berth-deck,  in 
waiting  for  the  fearful  moment  when  he  should  be  brought 
forth  for  execution.  His  sentence  was  generally  known  in 
the  ship,  and  with  a  few  he  was  an  object  of  interest ; 
though  punishment,  deaths  in  battle,  and  all  the  other 
casualties  of  nautical  life,  were  much  too  familiar  in  such  a 
war  to  awaken  anything  like  a  sensation  in  an  active 
cruising  frigate.  Still,  some  had  a  thought  for  the  prisoner's 
situation.  Winchester  was  a  humane  man,  and,  to  his 
credit,  ho  bore  no  malice  for  his  own  defeat  and  sufferings; 
while  in  his  capacity  of  first-lieutenant,  it  was  in  his  power 
to  do  much  towards  adding  to  the  comfort  of  the  condemned. 
He  had  placsd  the  prisoner  between  two  open  ports,  where 


310  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

the  air  circulated  freely,  no  trifling  consideration  in  so  warm 
a  climate,  and  had  ordered  a  canvass  bulk-head  to  be  placed 
around  him,  giving  Raoul  the  benefit  of  a  state-room  tor  his 
meditations  at  so  awful  a  moment.  His  irons,  too,  had 
been  removed  as  useless ;  though  c  *re  had  been  had  to  take 
away  from  the  prisoner  everything  by  which  he  might 
attempt  his  own  life.  The  probability  of  his  jumping 
through  a  port  had  been  discussed  between  the  first  and 
second  lieutenants ;  but  the  sentry  was  admonished  to  be  on 
his  guard  against  any  such  attempt,  and  little  apprehension 
was  felt,  Raoul  being  so  composed  and  so  unlikely  to  do 
anything  precipitately.  Then  it  would  be  easy  to  pick  him 
up,  while  the  vessel  moved  so  slowly.  To  own  the  truth 
too,  many  would  prefer  his  drowning  himself,  to  seeing  hirr 
swinging  at  a  yard-arm. 

In  this  narrow  prison,  then,  Raoul  passed  the  night  and 
morning.  It  would  be  representing  him  as  more  stoical 
than  the  truth,  if  we  said  he  was  unmoved.  So  far  from  this, 
his  moments  were  bitter,  and  his  anguish  would  have  been 
extreme,  were  it  not  for  a  high  resolution  which  prompted 
him  to  die,  as  he  fancied  it,  like  un  Francais.  The  nume 
rous  executions  by  the  guillotine,  had  brought  fortitude 
under  such  circumstances,  into  a  sort  of  fashion,  and  there 
were  few  who  did  not  meet  death  with  decorum.  With  our 
prisoner,  however,  it  was  still  different ;  for,  sustained  by  a 
dauntless  spirit,  he  would  have  faced  the  great  tyrant  of  the 
race,  even  in  his  most  ruthless  mood,  with  firmness,  if  not 
with  disdain.  But,  to  a  young  man  and  a  lover,  the  last 
great  change  could  not  well  approach  without  bringing  with 
it  a  feeling  of  hopelessness,  that,  in  the  case  of  Raoul,  was 
unrelieved  by  any  cheering  expectations  for  the  future.  He 
fully  believed  his  doom  to  be  sealed,  and  that,  less  or. 
account  of  his  imaginary  offence  as  a  spy,  than  on  account 
of  the  known  and  extensive  injuries  he  had  done  to  the  En< 
glish  commerce.  Raoul  was  a  good  hater ;  and,  according 
to  the  fashion  of  past  times,  which  we  apprehend,  in  spite  of 
a  vast  deal  of  equivocal  philanthropy  that  now  circulates 
freely  from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  from  pen  to  pen,  will  con 
tinue  to  be  the  fashion  of  limes  to  co'me,  he  heartily  disliked 
the  people  with  whom  he  was  at  war,  and  consequently,  was 
ready  to  believe  anything  to  their  prejudice  that  political 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  311 

rivalry  might  invent ;  a  frame  of  mind  that  led  him  to  think 
his  life  would  be  viewed  as  a  trifle,  when  put  in  the  scalea 
against  English  ascendency,  or  English  profit.  He  was 
accustomed  to  think  of  the  people  of  Great  Britain  as  a 
u  nation  of  shop-keepers,"  and,  while  engaged  himself  in  a 
calling  that  bears  the  brand  of  rapacity  on  its  very  brow, 
he  looked  upon  his  own  pursuit  as  comparatively  martial 
and  honourable;  qualities,  in  sooth,  it  was  far  from  being 
without,  as  he  himself  had  exercised  its  functions.  In  a 
word,  Raoul  understood  Cuffe,  as  little  as  Cuffe  understood 
him ;  facts  that  will  sufficiently  appear  in  the  interview 
which  it  has  now  become  our  office  to  relate. 

The  prisoner  received  one  or  two  friendly  visits  in  the 
course  of  the  morning ;  Griffin,  in  particular,  conceiving  it 
to  be  his  duty  to  try  to  cheer  the  condemned  man,  on 
account  of  his  own  knowledge  of  foreign  tongues.  On  these 
occasions,  the  conversation  was  prevented  from  falling  into 
anything  like  the  sombre,  by  the  firmness  of  the  prisoner's 
manner.  With  a  view  to  do  the  thing  handsomely,  Win 
chester  had  caused  Ihe  canvass  bulk-head  to  include  the  guns 
on  each  side,  which  of  course  gave  more  air  and  light  within 
the  narrow  apartment,  as  it  brought  both  ports  into  the  little 
room.  Raoul  adverted  to  this  circumstance,  as,  seated  on 
one  stool,  he  invited  Griffin,  in  the  last  of  his  visits,  to  take 
another. 

"  You  find  me,  here,  supported  by  a  piece  of  eighteen  on 
each  side,"  observed  the  prisoner,  smiling,  "  as  becomes  a 
seaman  who  is  about  to  die.  Were  my  death  to  come  from 
the  mouths  of  your  cannon,  Monsieur  Lieutenant,  it  would 
only  meet  me  a  few  months,  or  perhaps  a  few  days  sooner 
than  it  might  happen  by  the  same  mqde,  in  the  ordinary 
course  of  events." 

"  We  know  how  to  feel  for  a  brave  man  in  your  situa 
tion,"  answered  Griffin,  with  emotion  ;  "  and  nothing  would 
make  us  all  happier  than  to  have  it  as  you  say ;  you  in  a 
good  warm  frigate,  on  our  broadside,  and  we  in  this  of  our 
own,  contending  fairly  for  the  honour  of  our  respective 
countries." 

"  Monsieur,  the  fortune  of  war  has  ordered  it  otherwise-— 
but,  you  are  not  seated,  Monsieur  Lieutenant." 

"  Mon  pardon — Captain  Cuffe  has  sent  me  to  request  you 


312  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

will  favour  him  with  your  company,  in  his  cabin,  as  soon  as 
it  may  be  agreeable  to  yourself,  Monsieur  Yvard." 

There  is  something  in  the  polished  expressions  of  the 
French  language,  that  would  have  rendered  it  difficult  for 
Griffin  to  have  been  other  than  delicate  in  his  communica 
tions  with  the  prisoner,  had  he  been  so  disposed  ;  but,  such 
was  not  his  inclination  ;  for,  now  that  their  gallant  adver 
sary  -vas  at  their  mercy,  all  the  brave  men  in  the  Proserpine 
felt  a  disposition  to  deal  tenderly  with  him.  Raoul  was 
touched  with  these,  indications  of  generosity,  and,  as  he  had 
witnessed  Griffin's  spirit  in  the  different  attempts  made  on 
his  lugger,  it  inclined  him  to  think  better  of  his  foes.  Rising, 
he  professed  his  readiness  to  attend  the  captain,  at  that  very 
moment. 

Cuffe  was  waiting  in  the  after-cabin.  When  Griffin  and 
the  prisoner  entered,  he  courteously  requested  both  to  be 
seated,  the  former  being  invited  to  remain,  not  only  as  a 
witness  of  what  might  occur,  but  to  act  as  interpreter  in 
case  of  need.  A  short  pause  succeeded,  and  then  the  cap 
tain  opened  the  dialogue,  which  was  carried  on  in  English, 
with  occasional  assistance  from  Griffin,  whenever  it  became 
necessary. 

"  I  greatly  regret,  Monsieur  Yvard,  to  see  a  brave  man 
in  your  situation,"  commenced  Cuffe,  who,  sooth  to  say, 
apart  from  the  particular  object  he  had  in  view,  uttered  no 
more  than  the  truth.  "  We  have  done  full  justice  to  your 
spirit  and  judgment,  while  we  have  tried  the  hardest  to  get 
you  into  our  power.  But  the  laws  of  war  are  severe,  neces 
sarily,  and  we  English  have  a  commander-in-chief  who  is 
not  disposed  to  trifle  in  matters  of  duty." 

This  was  said,  partly  in  policy,  and  partly  from  a  habit 
of  standing  in  awe  of  the  character  of  Nelson.  Raoul 
received  it,  however,  in  the  most  favourable  light  ;  though 
the  politic  portion  of  the  motive  was  altogether  thrown  away, 
as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel. 

"  Monsieur,  un  Francais  knows  how  to  die  in  the  cause 
of  liberty  and  his  country,"  answered  Raoul,  courteously, 
yet  with  emphasis. 

"  I  do  not  doubt  it,  Monsieur ;  still,  I  see  no  necessity  of 
things  being  pushed  to  that  extremity.  England  is  as  liberal 
of  her  rewards,  as  she  is  powerful  to  resent  injuries.  Per- 


LB     FEU-FOLLET.  813 

haps  some  plan  may  be  adopted  which  will  avert  the  neces 
sity  of  sacrificing  the  life  of  a  brave  man,  in  so  cruel  a 
mode." 

"  I  shall  not  affect  to  play  the  hero,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine. 
If  any  proper  mode  of  relieving  me,  ir:  my  present  crisis, 
can  be  discovered,  my  gratitude  will  be  in  proportion  to  the 
service  rendered." 

"  This  is  talking  sensibly,  and  to  the  purpose :  I  make  no 
doubt,  when  we  come  to  a  right  understanding,  everything 
will  be  amicably  arranged  between  us.  Griffin,  do  me  the 
favour  to  help  yourself  to  a  glass  of  wine  and  water,  which 
you  will  find  refreshing  this  warm  day.  Monsieur  Yvard 
will  join  us ;  the  wine  coming  from  Capri,  and  being  far 
from  bad ;  though  some  do  prefer  the  Lachrymse  Christ! 
that  grows  about  the  foot  of  Vesuvius,  I  believe." 

Griffin  did  as  desired,  though  his  own  countenance  was 
far  from  expressing  all  the  satisfaction  that  was  obvious  in 
the  face  of  Cuffe.  Raoul  declined  the  offer  ;  waiting  for  the 
forthcoming  explanation  with  an  interest  he  did  not  affect  to 
conceal.  Cuffe  seemed  disappointed  and  reluctant  to  pro 
ceed  ;  but,  finding  his  two  companions  silent,  he  was  obliged 
to  make  his  proposal. 

"  Oui,  Monsieur,"  he  added,  "  England  is  powerful  to 
resent,  but  ready  to  forgive.  You  are  very  fortunate  in 
having  it  in  your  power,  at  so  serious  a  moment,  to  secure 
her  pardon  for  an  offence  that  is  always  visited  in  war  with 
a  punishment  graver  than  any  other." 

"  In  what  way  can  this  be  done,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine? 
I  am  not  one  who  despises  life ;  more  especially  when  it  is 
in  danger  of  being  lost  by  a  disgraceful  death." 

"  I  am  rejoiced,  Monsieur  Yvard,  to  find  you  in  this  frame 
of  mind  ;  it  will  relieve  me  from  the  discharge  of  a  most 
painful  duty,  and  be  the  means  of  smoothing  over  many 
difficulties.  Without  doubt,  you  have  heard  of  the  character 
of  our  celebrated  admiral,  Nelson?" 

"  His  name  is  known  to  every  seaman,  Monsieur," 
answered  Raoul,  stiffly ;  his  natural  antipathies  being  far 
from  cured  by  the  extremity  of  his  situation.  "  He  has 
written  it  on  the  waters  of  the  Nile,  in  letters  of  blood !" 

"  Ay,  his  deeds,  there,  or  elsewhere,  will  not  soon  be  for 
gotten.  He  is  a  man  of  an  iron  will;  when  his  heart  is  sot 
27 


314  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

on  a  thing,  he  sticks  at  no  risk  to  obtain  it,  especially  if  the 
means  be  lawful,  and  the  end  is  glory.  To  be  frank,  Mon 
sieur,  he  wishes  much  for  your  lugger,  the  le  Few-Folly." 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  Raoul,  smiling  ironically — "  Nelson  is 
not  the  only  English  admiral  who  has  had  the  same  desire. 
Le  Feu-FoIIet,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine,  is  so  charming,  that 
she  has  many  admirers  !" 

"  Among  whom  Nelson  is  one  of  the  warmest.  Now,  this 
makes  your  case  so  much  the  easier  to  be  disposed  of.  You 
have  nothing  to  do  but  put  the  lugger  into  our  hands,  when 
you  will  be  pardoned,  and  be  treated  as  a  prisoner  of  war." 

"  Does  Monsieur  Nelson  authorize  you  to  make  this  pro 
posal  to  me  ?"  asked  Raoul,  gravely. 

"  He  does.  Intrusted  with  the  care  of  his  country's  inte 
rests,  he  is  willing  to  overlook  the  offence  against  her,  under 
the  law  of  nations,  to  deprive  the  enemy  of  the  means  of 
doing  so  much  harm.  Put  the  lugger  into  our  hands,  and 
you  shall  be  sent  to  an  ordinary  prison-ship.  Nay,  merely 
let  us  into  the  secret  of  her  position,  and  we  will  see  to  her 
capture." 

"  Monsieur  Nelson  doubtless  does  no  more  than  his  duty,51 
answered  Raoul,  quietly,  but  with  an  air  of  severe  self- 
respect.  "  It  is  his  business  to  have  a  care  for  English 
commerce,  and  he  has  every  right  to  make  this  bargain. 
But  the  treaty  will  not  be  conducted  on  equal  terms ;  while 
he  is  doing  no  more  than  his  duty,  I  have  no  powers." 

"  How  1 — You  have  the  power  of  speech  ;  that  will  suffice 
to  let  us  into  the  secret  of  the  orders  you  have  given  the 
lugger,  and  where  she  is  probably  to  be  found,  at  this  mo 
ment." 

"  Non,  Monsieur ;  I  have  not  even  that  power.  I  can 
do  nothing  that  must  cover  me  with  so  much  infamy.  My 
tongue  is  under  laws  that  I  never  made,  when  treachery  is 
in  question." 

Had  Raoul  assumed  a  theatrical  tone  and  manner,  as 
might  have  been  expected,  probably  it  would  have  made  very 
little  impression  on  Cuffe;  but  his  quiet  simplicity  and 
steadiness  carried  conviction  with  them.  To  say  the  truth, 
the  captain  was  disappointed.  He  would  have  hesitated 
about  making  his  proposition  to  an  officer  of^the  regular 
French  marine,  low  as  even  these  stood,  at  that*  day,  in  the 


LE     FEU-FOLLET  315 

estimation  of  Nelson's  fleet,  in  particular ;  but  from  a  priva- 
leersnvin,  he  expected  a  greedy  acquiescence,  in  a  plan  that 
offered  life  as  a  reward,  in  exchange  for  a  treachery  like 
that  he  proposed.  At  first  he  felt  disposed  to  taunt  Raoul 
with  the  contradiction  between  what  he,  Cufle,  conceived  to 
be  his  general  pursuits,  and  his  present  assumption  of  prin 
ciples  ;  but,  the  unpretending  calmness  of  the  other's  manner, 
and  the  truth  of  his  feelings,  prevented  it.  Then,  to  do 
Cufie,  himself,  justice,  he  was  too  generous  to  abuse  the 
power  he  had  over  his  prisoner. 

"  You  may  do  well  to  think  of  this,  Monsieur  Yvard" — 
observed  the  captain,  after  a  pause  of  quite  a  minute.  "The 
interest  at  stake  is  so  heavy,  that  reflection  may  yet  induce 
you  to  change  your  mind." 

"  Monsieur  Cuffe,  I  pardon  you,  if  you  can  pardon  your 
self,"  answered  Raoul,  with  severe  dignity  in  his  manner, 
rising  as  he  spoke,  as  if  disdaining  civilities  which  came 
from  his  tempter.  "  I  know  what  you  think  of  us  corsairs — 
but  an  officer  in  an  honourable  service,  should  hesitate  long, 
before  he  tempts  a  man  to  do  an  act  like  this.  The  fact  that 
the  life  of  your  prisoner  is  at  stake,  ought  to  make  a  brave 
seaman  still  more  delicate  how  he  tries  to  work  on  his  ter 
rors  or  his  principles.  But,  I  repeat,  I  forgive  you,  Monsieur, 
if  you  can  forgive  yourself." 

Cuffe  stood  confounded.  The  blood  rushed  to  his  heart ; 
after  which,  it  appeared  as  if  about  to  gush  through  the  pores 
of  his  face.  A  feeling  of  fierce  resentment  almost  consumed 
him  ;  then  he  became  himself  again,  and  began  to  see  things, 
as  was  his  wont,  in  cooler  moments.  Still  he  could  not 
speak,  pacing  the  cabin  to  recover  his  self-command. 

"  Monsieur  Yvard,"  he  at  length  said,  "  I  ask  your  for 
giveness,  sincerely,  and  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.  I 
did  not  know  you,  or  such  a  proposal  would  never  have 
insulted  you,  or  disgraced  a  British  officer,  in  my  person. 
Nelson,  too,  is  the  last  man  living,  to  wound  the  feelings  of 
an  honourable  enemy ;  but  we  did  not  know  you.  All  pri- 
vateersmen  are  not  of  your  way  of  thinking,  and  it  was 
there  we  fell  into  our  mistake." 

"  Touchez-la"  said  Raoul,  frankly  extending  his  hand. 
"  Monsieur  le  Captiaine,  you  and  I  ought  to  meet  in  two 
fine  frigates,  each  ibr  his  country's  honour ;  let  what  would 


316  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

be  the  result,  it  would  lay  the  foundations  of  an  eternal 
friendship.  I  have  lived  long  enough  in  votre  Anglcterre, 
to  understand  how  little  you  know  noire  France;  mais 
n'importe.  Brave  men  can  understand  one  another,  all  over 
the  world ;  for  the  little  time  which  is  left  me,  we  shall  be 
friends." 

Cuffc  seized  RaouPs  hand,  and  even  a  tear  escaped  him, 
as  he  squeezed  it  warmly. 

"  This  has  been  a  d — d  miserable  business,  Griffin,"  said 
the  captain,  as  soon  as  he  could  speak  without  betraying 
weakness,  "  and  one  no  man  will  ever  find  me  employed  in 
again,  though  a  fleet  as  large  as  that  up  in  the  Bay  yonder 
were  the  price." 

"  I  never  thought  it  would  succeed,  sir ;  and,  to  say  the 
truth,  I  never  hoped  it  would.  You'll  excuse  me,  Captain 
Cuffe,  but  we  English  don't  give  the  continentals  exactly 
the  credit  they  deserve;  and  particularly  the  French.  I 
thought  it  wouldn't  do,  from  the  first." 

Cuffe  now  repeated  his  apologies;  and  after  a  few  expres 
sions  of  friendly  esteem  on  both  sides,  Raoul  returned  to  his 
little  room,  declining  the  captain's  offer  to  occupy  one  of  the 
.cabin  state-rooms.  Griffin  was  soon  back  again,  and  then 
the  conversation  was  resumed  between  the  two  officers. 

"  This  is  altogether  a  most  painful  business,  Griffin," 
observed  Cuffe.  "  There  is  no  doubt  that  Monsieur  Yvard 
is  technically  a  spy,  and  guilty,  according  to  the  forms  of 
law  ;  but  I  entertain  not  the  smallest  doubt  of  the  truth  of 
his  whole  story.  This  Ghita  Caraccioli,  as  the  girl  calls 
herself,  is  the  very  picture  of  truth ;  and  was  actually  in 
Nelson's  cabin  the  day  before  yesterday,  under  circum 
stances  that  leave  no  doubt  of  the  simplicity  and  truth  of 
her  character,  while  every  part  of  the  tale  corresponds  with 
the  other.  Even  the  veechy,  and  this  pursy  old  podesta, 
confirm  the  account;  for  they  have  seen  Ghita  in  Porto 
Ferrajo,  and  begin  to  think  the  Frenchman  came  in  there 
solely  on  her  account." 

"  I  make  no  doubt,  Captain  Cuffe,  that.  Lord  Nelson  will 
give  a  respite,  or  even  a  pardon,  were  the  facts  fairly  laid 
before  him,"  observed  Griffin,  who  felt  a  generous  interest 
in  preserving  the  life  of  Raoul,  the  very  man  he  had  endea 
voured  to  destroy  by  fire  only  a  few  weeks  before ;  but  such 


LE    FEU-POL  LET.  317 

is  the  waywardness  of  man,  and  such  are  the  mixed  feelings 
generated  by  war. 

"This  is  the  most  serious  part  of  the  affair,  Griffin. 
The  sentence  is  approved ;  with  an  order  that  it  shall  be 
carried  into  effect  this  very  day,  between  the  hours  of  sun- 
rise  and  sunset ;  while  here  it  is  already  noon,  and  we  are 
to  the  southward  of  Campanella,  and  so  distant  from  the 
flag-ship,  as  to  put  signals  out  of  the  question." 

Griffin  started ;  all  the  grave  difficulties  of  the  case  glanc 
ing  upon  his  rnind  in  a  moment.  An  order,  according  to 
the  habits  of  the  service,  and  more  especially  an  order  of 
this  serious  character,  was  not  to  be  questioned ;  yet  here 
was  a  dilemma  in  which  there  appeared  no  means  of 
relief. 

"  Good  God,  Captain  Cuffe,  how  unlucky  !  Cannot  an 
express  be  sent  across  by  land,  so  as  yet  to  reach  the  flag 
ship  in  time?" 

"  I  have  thought  of  that,  Griffin,  and  Clinch  has  gone 
precisely  on  that  errand." 

"Clinch! — Pardon  me,  sir;  but  such  a  duty  requires  a 
very  active  and  sober  officer !" 

"  Clinch  is  active  enough,  and  I  know  his  besetting  weak 
ness  will  have  no  power  over  him  to-day.  I  have  opened 
the  way  for  a  commission  to  him,  and  no  one  in  the  ship 
can  go  to  Naples  in  a  boat  sooner  than  Clinch,  if  he  really 
try.  He  will  make  the  most  of  the  afternoon's  breeze, 
should  there  be  any,  and  I  have  arranged  a  signal  with  him, 
by  which  he  may  let  us  know  the  result  even  at  the  distance 
of  eight  or  ten  miles." 

"  Has  Lord  Nelson  left  no  discretion  in  the  orders,  sir  ?" 

"  None ;  unless  Raoul  Yvard  distinctly  consent  to  give 
up  the  lugger.  In  that  case,  I  have  a  letter,  which  autho 
rizes  me  to  delay  the  execution,  until  I  can  communicate 
directly  with  the  commander-in-chief." 

"  How  very  unlucky  it  has  been,  all  round  !  Is  there  no 
possibility,  sir,  of  making  up  a  case  that  might  render  this 
discretion  available?" 

"  That  might  do  among  you  irresponsibles,  Mr.  Griffin," 
answered  Cuffe,  a  little  sharply  ;  "  but  I  would  rather  hang 
forty  Frenchmen  than  be  Bronted  by  Nelson,  for  neglect  of 
duty." 

27  * 


318  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

Cuffe  spoke  more  strongly  than  he  intended,  perhaps  ;  but, 
the  commander  of  a  ship-of-war  does  not  always  stop  to  weigh 
his  words,  when  he  condescends  to  discuss  a  point  with  an 
inferior.  The  reply  put  a  check  upon  Griffin's  zeal,  how 
ever,  though  the  discourse  did  not  the  less  proceed. 

"  Wei!,  sir,"  the  lieutenant  answered,  "  I  'm  sure  we  are 
all  as  anxious  as  you  can  be,  to  avert  this  affair  from  our 
ship.  'Twas  but  the  other  day,  we  were  boasting  in  the 
gun-room,  to  some  of  the  Lapwing's  officers  that  were  on  a 
visit  here,  that  the  Proserpine  never  had  an  execution  or  a 
court-martial  flogging  on  board  her,  though  she  had  now 
been  under  the  British  ensign  near  four  years,  and  had  been 
seven  times  under  fire  !" 

"  God  send,  Griffin,  that  Clinch  find  the  admiral,  and  get 
back  in  time !" 

"  How  would  it  do,  sir,  to  send  the  vice-governatore  to 
try  the  prisoner ;  perhaps  he  might  persuade  him  to  seem  to 
consent — or,  some  such  thing,  you  know,  sir,  as  might  ju^ify 
a  delay.  They  say  the  Corsicans  are  the  keenest- wilted 
fellows  in  all  these  seas  ;  and  Elba  is  so  near  to  Corsica, 
that  one  cannot  fancy  there  is  much  difference  between  their 
people." 

"  Ay,  your  veechy  is  a  regular  witch  ! — He  made  out  so 
well  in  his  first  interview  with  Yvard,  that  no  one  can  doubt 
his  ability  to  overlay  him,  in  another  !" 

"  One  never  knows,  Captain  Cuffe.  The  Italian  has 
more  resources  than  most  men ;  and  the  Signor  Barrofaldi 
is  a  discreet,  sensible  man,  when  he  acts  with  his  eyes  open. 
Le  Feu-Follet  has  cheated  others  besides  the  vice-governu- 
tore,  and  the  podesta. !" 

"  Ay,  these  d d  Jack-o'-Lanterns  are  never  to  be 

trusted.  It  would  hardly  surprise  me  to  see  the  Folly  com 
ing  down,  wing-and-wing,  from  under  the  land,  and  passing 
out  to  sea,  with  a  six-knot  breeze,  while  we  lay  as  still  as  a 
cathedral,  with  not  air  enough  to  turn  the  smoke  of  the  gal 
ley-fire  from  the  perpendicular." 

"  She  's  not  inside  of  us,  Captain  Cuffe  ;  of  tha-t  we  may 
be  certain.  I  have  been  on  the  main-top-gallant-yard,  with 
the  best  glass  in  the  ship,  and  have  swept  the  whole  coast, 
from  the  ruins  over  against  us,  here  to  the  eastward,  up  to 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  319 

the  town  of  Salerno ;  there  is  nothing  to  be  seen,  as  large 
as  a  sparanara." 

"  One  would  think,  too,  this  Monsieur  Yvard  might  give 
up,  to  save  his  own  life,  after  all  P 

•«  We  should  hardly  do  it,  I  hope,  Captain  Cuffe  ?" 

"  I  believe  you  are  right,  Griffin  ;  one  feels  forced  to 
respect  the  privateersman,  in  spite  of  his  trade.  Who  knows 
but  something  might  be  got  out  of  that  Bolt  ?  He  must 
know  as  much  about  the  lugger  as  Yvard  himself." 

"  Quite  true,  sir ;  I  was  thinking  of  proposing  something 
of  the  sort,  not  a  minute  since.  Now,  that 's  a  fellow  one 
may  take  pleasure  in  riding  down,  as  one  would  ride  down 
the  main  tack.  Shall  I  have  him  sent  for,  Captain  Cuffe  ?" 

The  captain  hesitated ;  for  the  previous  experiments  on 
Ithuel's  selfishness  had  failed.  Still,  the  preservation  of 
Raoul's  life,  and  the  capture  of  the  lugger,  were  now  objects 
of  nearly  equal  interest  with  Cuffe,  and  he  felt  disposed  to 
neglect  no  plausible  means  of  effecting  either.  A  sign  of 
approbation  was  all  the  lieutenant  needed ;  and,  in  a  few 
minutes,  Ithuel  stood,  again,  in  the  presence  of  his  captain. 

"  Here  is  an  opportunity  for  you  to  fetch  up  a  good  deal 
of  lee-way,  Master  Bolt,"  commenced  the  captain  ;  "  and  I 
am  willing  to  give  you  a  chance  to  help  yourself.  You 
know  where  you  last  left  the  Few-Folly,  I  suppose?" 

"  I  don't  know  but  I  might,  sir,"  answered  Ithuel,  rolling 
his  eyes  around  him,  curious  to  ascertain  what  the  other 
would  be  at.  "  I  don't  know  but  I  might  remember,  on  a 
pinch,  sir ;  though,  to  own  the  truth,  my  memory  is  none 
of  the  most  desperate  best." 

"  Well,  then,  where  was  it?  Recollect  that  the  life  of 
your  late  friend,  Raoul  Yvard,  may  depend  on  your 
answer." 

"  I  want  to  know  ! — Well;  this  Europe  is  a  curious  part 
of  the  world,  as  all  must  admit,  that  come  from  Ameriky. 
What  has  Captain  Rule  done  now,  sir,  that  he  stands  in  such 
jeopardy  ?" 

"  You  know  that  he  is  convicted  as  a  spy  ;  and  my  orders 
are  to  have  him  executed,  unless  we  can  get  his  lugger. 
T/ten,  indeed,  we  may  possibly  show  him  a  little  favour; 
as  we  do  not  make  war  so  much  on  individuals,  as  on 
nations." 


320 


FEU-FOLLET 


Cuffe  would  probably  have  been  puzzled  to  explain  the 
application  of  his  own  sentiment  to  the  case  before  him  ;  but, 
presuming  on  his  having  to  deal  with  one  who  was  neither 
very  philosophical  nor  logical  himself,  he  was  somewhat 
indifferent  to  his  own  mode  of  proceeding,  so  that  it  effected 
the  object.  Ithuel,  however,  was  not  understood.  Love  for 
Raoul,  or  the  lugger,  or,  indeed,  for  anything  else,  himself 
excepled,  formed  no  part  of  his  character  ;  while  hatred  of 
England  had  got  to  be  incorporated  with  the  whole  of  his 
moral  system  ;  if  such  a  man  could  be  said  to  have  a  moral 
system  at  all.  He  saw  nothing  to  be  gained  by  serving 
Raoul,  in  particular;  though  this  he  might  have  done  did 
nothing  interfere  to  prevent  it  ;  while  he  had  so  strong  an 
aversion  to  suffering  the  English  to  get  le  Feu-Follet,  as  to 
De  willing  even  to  risk  his  own  life,  in  order  to  prevent  it, 
His  care,  therefore,  was  to  accomplish  his  purpose,  with  the 
least  hazard  to  himself. 

"  And,  if  the  lugger  can  be  had,  sir,  you  intend  to  let 
Captain  Rule  go  ?"  he  asked,  with  an  air  of  interest. 

"  Ay,  we  may  do  that  ;  though  it  will  depend  on  the 
admiral.  Can  you  tell  us  where  you  left  her,  and  where 
she  probably  now  is  ?" 

"  Captain  Rule  has  said  the  first,  already,  sir.  He  told 
the  truth,  about  that,  before  the  court.  But,  as  to  telling 
where  the  lugger  is  now,  I  '11  defy  any  man  to  do  it  !  Why, 
sir,  I  've  turned  in,  at  eight  bells,  and  left  her,  say  ten  or 
fifteen  leagues  dead  to  leeward  of  an  island,  or  a  light-house, 
perhaps  ;  and  on  turning  out  at  eight  bells,  in  the  morning, 
found  her,  just  as  far  to  windward  of  the  same  object. 
She  's  as  oncalculating  craft  as  I  ever  put  foot  aboard  of." 

"  Indeed  !"  said  Cuffe,  ironically  ;  "  I  do  not  wonder  that 
her  captain's  in  a  scrape." 

"  Scrape,  sir  !  —  The  Folly  is  nothing  but  a  scrape.  I  've 
tried  my  hand  at  keeping  her  reck'nin'." 

«  You  !" 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  ;  Ithuel  Bolt,  that  's  my  name,  at  hum'  or 
abroad,  and  I've  tried  to  keep  the  Folly's  reck'nin',  with  all 
the  advantage  of  thermometer,  and  lead-lines,  and  loga 
rithms,  and  such  necessaries,  you  know,  Captain  Cuffe; 
and  /  never  yet  could  place  her  within  a  hundred  miles  of 
the  spot  where  she  was  actually  seen  to  be." 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  32* 

"  1  am  not  at  all  surprised  to  hear  this,  Bolt ;  but  what  I 
want  at  present,  is  to  know  what  you  think  may  be  the  pre 
cise  posiiion  of  the  lugger,  without  the  aid  of  the  thermome 
ter,  and  of  logarithms;  I've  a  notion  you  would  make  out 
setter,  by  letting  such  things  alone?" 

"  Well,  who  knows  but  I  might,  sir !  My  idee  of  the 
Folly,  just  now,  sir,  is  that  she  is  somewhere  off  Capri, 
under  short  canvass,  waiting  for  Captain  Rule  and  I  to  join 
her,  and  keeping  a  sharp  look-out  after  the  inimies'  cruisers." 

Now,  this  was  not  only  precisely  the  position  of  the  lugger 
at  that  very  moment,  but  it  was  what  Ithuel  actually  be 
lieved  to  be  her  position.  Still,  nothing  was  farther  from 
this  man's  intention  than  to  betray  his  Ibrmer  messmates. 
He  was  so  very  cunning,  as  to  have  detected  how  little 
Cuffe  was  disposed  to  believe  him ;  and  he  told  the  truth,  as 
the  most  certain  means  of  averting  mischief  from  the  lugger. 
Nor  did  his  ruse  fail  of  its  object.  His  whole  manner  had 
so  much  deceit  and  low  cunning  about  it,  that  neither  Guile 
nor  Griffin  believed  a  word  he  said ;  and  after  a  little  more 
pumping,  the  fellow  was  dismissed  in  disgust,  with  a  sharp 
intimation  that  it  would  be  singularly  for  his  interest  to  look 
out  how  he  discharged  his  general  duties  in  the  ship. 

"  This  will  never  do,  Griffin,"  exclaimed  the  captain,  vexed 
and  disappointed.  "Should  anything  occur  to  Clinch,  or 
should  the  admiral  happen  to  be  off,  with  the  king,  on  one 
of  his  shooting  excursions,  we  shall  be  in  a  most  serious 
dilemma.  Would  to  God,  we  had  not  left  the  anchorage,  at 
Capri !  Then,  one  might  communicate  with  the  flag,  with 
some  certainty.  I  shall  never  forgive  myself,  if  anything 
fatal  actually  take  place  !" 

"  When  one  does  all  for  the  best,  Captain  Cuffe,  his  mind 
ought  to  be  at  ease,  and  you  could  not  possibly  foresee 
what  has  happened.  Might  not — one  wouldn't  like  either— 
but — necessity  is  a  hard  master — " 

"  Out  with  it,  Griffin — anything  is  better  than  suspense.' 

"  Well,  sir,  I  was  just  thinking  that  possibly  this  young 
Italian  girl  might  know  something  about  the  lugger,  and,  as 
she  clearly  loves  the  Frenchman,  we  should  get  a  strong 
purchase  on  her  tongue,  by  means  of  her  heart." 

Cuffe  looked  intently  at  his  lieutenant,  for  half  a  minutes 
then  he  shook  his  head  in  disapprobation. 


322  LB     FETJ-FOLLET 

"  No,  Griffin,  no,"  he  said,  "  to  this  I  never  can  consent. 
As  for  this  quibbling,  equivocating  Yankee,  if  Yankee  he 
be,  one  wouldn't  (eel  many  scruples  of  delicacy  ;  but  to 
probe  the  affections  of  a  poor,  innocent  girl,  in  this  way, 
would  be  going  too  far.  The  heart  of  a  young  girl  should 
be  sacred,  under  every  circumstance." 

Griffin  coloured,  and  he  bit  his  lip.  No  one  likes  to  be 
outdone,  in  the  appearance  of  generosity,  at  least;  and  he 
felt  vexed  that  he  should  have  ventured  on  a  proposition 
that  his  superior  treated  as  unbecoming. 

"Nevertheless,  sir,  she  might  think  the  lugger  cheaply 
sold,"  he  said,  with  emphasis,  «*  provided  her  lover's  life 
was  what  she  got  in  exchange.  It  would  be  a  very  dif 
ferent  thing  were  we  to  ask  her  to  sell  her  admirer,  instead 
of  a  mere  privateer." 

"  No  matter,  Griffin.  We  will  not  meddle  with  the 
private  feelings  of  a  young  female,  that  chance  has  thrown 
into  our  hands.  As  soon  as  we  get  near  enough  in  with 
the  land,  I  intend  to  let  the  old  man  take  his  boat,  and  carry 
his  niece  ashore.  That  will  be  getting  rid  of  them,  at  least, 
honourably  and  fairly.  God  knows  what  is  to  become  of  the 
Frenchman." 

This  terminated  the  conference.  Griffin  went  on  deck, 
where  duty  now  called  him  ;  and  Cuffe  sat  down  to  re-pe 
ruse,  for  the  ninth  or  tenth  time,  the  instructions  of  the 
admiral. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

"  I  have  no  dread, 

And  feel  the  curse  to  have  no  natural  fear, 
Nor  fluttering  throb,  that  beats  with  hopes  or  wishes, 
Or  lurking  love  of  something  on  the  earth." 

Manfred. 

BY  this  time,  the  day  had  materially  advanced,  and  there 
were  grave  grounds  for  the  uneasiness  which  Cuffe  began  so 
seriously  to  feel.  All  three  of  the  ships  were  still  in  the  Bay 
8* 


LE    PEU-FOLLET.  323 

of  Salerno,  gathering  in  towards  its  northern  shore,  however. 
The  Proserpine,  the  deepest  embayed,  the  Terpsichore,  and 
the  Ringdove,  having  hauled  out  towards  Campanella,  as  soon 
as  satisfied  nothing  was  to  be  seen  in-shore  of  them.  The 
heights,  which  line  the  coast,  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
the  town  of  Salerno,  to  the  head-land  that  ends  near  Capri, 
have  long  been  celebrated,  not  only  for  their  beauty  and 
grandeur,  but  in  connection  with  the  lore  of  the  middle  ages. 
As  the  Proserpine  had  never  been  in  this  bay  before,  or  never 
so  near  its  head,  her  officers  found  some  temporary  relief 
from  the  very  general  uneasiness  that  was  felt  on  account 
of  their  prisoner,  in  viewing  scenery  that  is  remarkable  even 
in  that  remarkable  section  of  the  globe.  The  ship  had  gone 
up  abreast  of  Amalfi,  and  so  close  in,  as  to  be  less  than  a 
mile  from  the  shore.  The  objectrwas  to  communicate  with 
some  fishermen,  which  had  been  done ;  the  information  re 
ceived  going  to  establish  the  fact,  that  no  craft  resembling 
the  lugger  had  been  in  that  part  of  the  Bay.  The  vessel's 
head  was  now  laid  to  the  southward  and  westward,  in  wait 
ing  for  the  zephyr,  which  might  soon  be  expected.  The  gal 
lant  frigate,  seen  from  the  impending  rocks,  looked  like  a 
light  merchantman,  in  all  but  her  symmetry  and  warlike 
guise ;  nature  being  moulded  on  so  grand  a  scale  all  along 
that  coast,  as  to  render  objects  of  human  art,  unusually  di 
minutive  to  the  eye.  On  the  other  hand,  the  country-houses, 
churches,  hermitages,  convents,  and  villages,  clustered  all 
along  the  mountain  sides,  presented  equally  delusive  forms, 
though  they  gave  an  affluence  to  the  views,  that  left  tho 
spectator  in  a  strange  doubt,  which  most  to  admire,  their 
wildness,  or  their  picturesque  beauty.  The  little  air  that 
remained,  was  still  at  the  southward,  and  as  the  ship  moved 
slowly  along  this  scene  of  singular  attraction,  each  ravine 
seemed  to  give  up  a  town,  each  shelf  of  rock,  a  human  habi 
tation,  and  each  natural  terrace,  a  villa  and  a  garden. 

Of  all  men,  sailors  get  to  be  the  most  blazes  in  the  way  of 
the  sensations  produced  by  novelties,  and  fine  scenery.  It  ap 
pears  to  be  a  part  of  their  calling,  to  suppress  the  emotions  of 
a  greenhorn ;  and,  generally,  they  look  upon  anything  that  is 
a  little  out  of  the  ordinary  track,  with  the  coolness  of  those 
who  feel  it  is  an  admission  of  inferiority  to  betray  surprise. 
It  seldom  happens  with  them,  that  anything  occurs,  or  any- 


324  LE     FEU-FOLLET 

thing  is  seen  to  which  the  last  cruise,  or,  if  the  vessel  be  en. 
gaged  in  trade,  the  last  voyage,  did  not  at  least  furnish  a 
parallel;  usually  the  past  event,  or  the  more  distant  ot> 
ject,  has  the  advantage.  He  who  has  a  sufficient  store  of 
this  reserved  knowledge  and  experience,  it  will  at  once  be 
seen,  enjoys  a  great  superiority  over  him  who  has  not,  and 
is  placed  above  the  necessity  of  avowing  a  sensation  as  hu 
miliating  as  wonder.  On  the  present  occasion,  however, 
but  few  held  out  against  the  novelty  of  the  actual  situation 
of  the  ship ;  most  on  board  being  willing  enough  to  allow 
that  they  had  never  before  been  beneath  cliffs  that  had  sucb 
a  union  of  the  magnificent,  the  picturesque,  and  the  soft ; 
though  a  few  continued  firm,  acting  up  to  the  old  characters, 
with  the  consistency  of  settled  obstinacy. 

Strand,  the  boatswain,  was  one  of  those  who,  on  all  such 
occasions,  "  died  hard."  He  was  the  last  man  in  the  ship 
who  ever  gave  up  a  prejudice ;  and  this  for  three  several 
reasons :  he  was  a  cockney,  and  believed  himself  born  in 
the  centre  of  human  knowledge ;  he  was  a  seaman,  and  un 
derstood  the  world ;  he  was  a  boatswain,  and  stood  upon  his 
dignity. 

As  the  Proserpine  fanned  slowly  along  the  land,  this  per 
sonage  took  a  position  between  the  knight-heads,  on  the 
bowsprit,  where  he  could  overlook  the  scene,  and  at  the 
same  time  hear  the  dialogue  of  the  forecastle;  and  both  with 
suitable  decorum.  Strand  was  as  much  of  a  monarch  for 
ward,  as  Cuffe  was  aft ;  though  the  appearance  of  a  lieu 
tenant,  or  of  the  master,  now  and  then,  a  little  dimmed  the 
lustre  of  his  reign.  Still,  Strand  succumbed  completely  to 
only  two  of  the  officers — the  captain  and  the  first-lieutenant ; 
and  not  always  to  these,  in  what  he  conceived  to  be  purely 
matters  of  sentiment.  In  the  way  of  duty,  he  understood 
himself  too  well,  ever  to  hesitate  about  obeying  an  order ; 
but  when  it  came  to  opinions,  he  was  a  man  who  could 
maintain  his  own,  even  in  the  presence  of  Nelson. 

The  first  captain  of  the  forecastle,  was  an  old  seaman  of 
the  name  of  Catfall.  At  the  precise  moment  when  Strand 
occupied  the  position  named,  between  the  knight-heads,  this 
personage  was  holding  a  discourse  with  three  or  four  of  the 
forecastle-men,  who  stood  on  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit, 
inboard  —  the  etiquette  of  the  ship  not  permitting  these  wor- 


LE     FEU-POLLET.  325 

thies  to  show  their  heads  above  the  nettings.  Each  of  the 
party  had  his  arms  folded  ;  each  chewed  tobacco ;  each  had 
his  hair  in  a  queue ;  and  each  occasionally  hitched  up  his 
trousers,  in  a  way  to  prove  that  he  did  not  require  the  aid 
of  suspenders  in  keeping  his  nether  garments  in  their  proper 
place.  It  may  be  mentioned,  indeed,  that  the  point  of  divi 
sion  between  the  jacket  and  the  trousers,  was  marked  in 
each  by  a  bellying  line  of  a  clean  white  shirt,  that  served  to 
relieve  the  blue  of  the  dress,  as  a  species  of  marine  facing. 
As  was  due  to  his  greater  experience  and  his  rank,  Catfall 
was  the  principal  speaker  among  those  who  lined  the  heel 
of  the  bowsprit. 

"  This  here  coast  is  mountainious,  as  one  may  own," 
observed  the  captain  of  the  forecastle ;  "  but  what  I  say  is, 
that  it's  not  as  mountaimous  as  some  I've  seen.  Now, 
when  I  went  round  the  'arth  with  Captain  Cook,  we  fell  in 
with  islands  that  were  so  topped  off  with  rocks,  and  the  like 
o'  that,  that  these  here  affairs,  alongside  on  'em,  wouldn't 
pass  for  anything  more  than  a  sort  of  jury  mountains." 

"  There  you  're  right,  Catfall,"  said  Strand,  in  a  patroniz 
ing  way ;  "  as  anybody  knows  as  has  been  round  the  Horn. 
I  didn't  sail  with  Captain  Cook,  seeing  that  I  was  then  the 
boatswain  of  the  Hussar,  and  she  couldn't  have  made  one 
of  Cook's  squadron,  being  a  post-ship,  and  commanded  by 
a  full-built  captain  ;  but  I  was  in  them  seas  when  a  younker, 
and  can  back  Catfall's  account  of  the  matter  by  my  largest 
anchor,  in  the  way  of  history.  D e,  if  I  think  these  hil 
locks  would  be  called  even  jury  mountains,  in  that  quarter 
of  the  world.  They  tell  me  there 's  several  noblemen's  and 
gentlemen's  parks  near  Lunnun,  where  they  make  moun 
tains  just  to  look  at;  that  must  be  much  of  a  muchness  with 
these  here  chaps.  I  never  drift  far  from  Wappin',  when 
I'm  at  home,  and  so  I  can't  say  I've  seen  these  artifice 
hills,  as  they  calls  them,  myself;  but  there's  one  Joseph 
Shirk,  that  lives  near  St.  Katharine's  Lane,  that  makes 
trips  regularly  into  the  neighbourhood,  who  gives  quite  a 
particular  account  of  the  matter." 

"I  dare  to  say  it's  all  true,  Mr.  Strand,"  answered  the 

captain  of  the  forecastle,  "  for  I  've  know'd  some  of  them 

travelling  chaps  who  have  seen  stranger  sights  than  that. 

No,  sir,  I  calls  these  mountains  no  great  matter ;  and  as  to 

26 


326  LE    PEU-FOLLET. 

the  houses  and  villages  on  'em,  where  you  see  one,  here, 
you  might  say  you  could  see  two  on  some  of  the  desert 
Islands — " 

A  very  marvellous  account  of  Cook's  Discoveries  was 
suddenly  checked  by  the  appearance  of  CufFe  on  the  fore 
castle.  It  was  not  often  the  captain  visited  that  part  of  the 
ship ;  but  he  was  considered  a  privileged  person,  let  him  go 
where  he  would.  At  his  appearance,  all  the  "  old  salts" 
quitted  the  heel  of  the  spar,  tarpaulins  came  fairly  down  to 
a  level  with  the  bag-reefs  of  the  shirts,  and  even  Strand 
stepped  into  the  nettings,  leaving  the  place  between  the 
knight-heads  clear.  To  this  spot  Cuffe  ascended  with  a 
light,  steady  step,  for  he  was  but  six-and-twenty,  just  touch 
ing  his  hat,  in  return  to  the  boatswain's  bow. 

A  boatswain,  on  board  an  English  ship-of-war,  is  a  more 
important  personage  than  he  is  apt  to  be  on  board  an  Amen- 
can.  Neither  the  captain  nor  the  first-lieutenant  disdains 
conversing  with  him,  on  occasions;  and  he  is  sometimes 
seen  promenading  the  starboard  side  of  the  quarter-deck,  in 
deep  discourse  with  one  or  the  other  of  those  high  function 
aries.  It  has  been  said  that  Cuffe  and  Strand  were  old  ship 
mates,  the  latter  having  actually  been  boatswain  of  the  ship 
in  which  the  former  first  sailed.  This  circumstance  was 
constantly  borne  in  mind  by  both  parties,  the  captain  seldom 
coming  near  his  inferior,  in  moments  of  relaxation,  without 
having  something  to  say  to  him. 

"  Rather  a  remarkable  coast,  this,  Strand,"  he  commenced, 
on  the  present  occasion,  as  soon  as  fairly  placed  between 
the  knight-heads  ,*  "  something  one  might  look  for  a  week,  in 
England,  without  finding  it." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  but  I'm  not  of  the  same  way  of 
thinking.  I  was  just  telling  the  forecastle  lads,  down  there, 
that  there 's  many  a  nobleman  and  gentleman,  at  home,  as 
has  finer  hills  than  these,  made  by  hand,  in  his  parks  and 
gardens,  just  to  look  at." 

"  The  d 1  you  have  ! — And  what  did  the  forecastle 

lads,  down  there,  say  to  that?" 

"  What  could  they,  sir  ?  It  just  showed  the  superiority 
of  an  Englishman  to  an  Italian ;  and  that  ended  the  matter. 
Don't  you  remember  the  Injees,  sir  ?-<-" 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  327 

"The  Indies!  —  AVhy  the  coast  between  Bombay  and 
Calcutta  is  as  flat  as  a  pancake^  most  of  the  distance." 

"  Not  them  Injees,  sir,  but  t'  other  —  the  West,  I  mean. 
The  islands  and  mountains  we  passed  and  went  into  in  the 
Rattler ;  your  honour  was  only  b.  young  gentleman,  then, 
but  was  too  much  aloft  to  miss  the  sight  of  anything — and 
all  along  America,  too." 

As  Strand  was  speaking,  he  glanced  complacently  round, 
as  if  to  intimate  to  the  listeners  what  an  old  friend  of  the 
captain's  they  enjoyed  in  the  person  of  their  boatswain. 

"  Oh  !  the  West-Indies — you  're  nearer  right  there, Strand; 
and  yet  they  have  nothing  to  compare  to  this.  Why,  here 
are  mountains,  alive  with  habitations,  that  fairly  come  up  to 
the  sea !" 

"  Well,  sir,  as  to  habitations,  what's  these  to  a  street  in 
Lunnun?  Begin  on  the  starboard  hand,  for  instance,  as 
you  walk  down  Cheapside,  and  count  as  you  go ;  my  life 
for  it,  you  Ml  reel  off  more  houses,  in  half  an  hour's  walk, 
than  are  to  be  found  in  all  that  there  village  yonder. 
Then  you  '11  remember,  sir,  that  the  starboard  hand  only  has 
half,  every  Jack  having  his  Jenny.  I  look  upon  Lunnun  as 
the  finest  sight  in  nature,  Captain  Cuffe,  after  all  I  have 
seen  in  many  cruises !" 

"  I  don't  know,  Mr.  Strand. — In  the  way  of  coast,  one 
may  very  well  be  satisfied  with  this.  Yonder  town,  now, 
is  called  Amalfi;  it  was  once  a  place  of  great  commerce 
they  say." 

"  Of  commerce,  sir  ! — why  it 's  nothing  but  a  bit  of  a  vil 
lage,  or  at  most,  of  a  borough,  built  in  a  hollow. — No  haven, 
no  docks,  no  comfortable  place,  even,  for  setting  up  the 
frame  of  a  ship  on  the  beach.  The  commerce  cf  such  a 
town  must  have  been  mainly  carried  on  by  means  of  mules 
and  jackasses,  as  one  reads  of  in  the  trade  of  the  Bible." 

"  Carried  on  as  it  might  be,  trade  it  once  had. — There 
does  not  seem  to  be  any  hiding-place,  along  this  shore,  for 
a  lugger  like  the  Folly,  after  all,  Strand." 

The  boatswain  smiled,  with  a  knowing  look,  while,  at  the 
same  time,  the  expression  of  his  countenance  was  like  that 
of  a  man  who  did  not  choose  to  let  others  into  all  hia 
secrets. 


428  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"  The  Folly  is  a  craft  we  are  not  likely  to  see,  again, 
Captain  CufFe,"  he  then  angwered,  if  it  were  only  out  of 
respect  to  his  superior. 

"  Why  so  1 — The  Proserpine  generally  takes  a  good  look 
at  everything  she  chases." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir ;  that  may  be  true,  as  a  rule,  but  I  never 
knew  a  craft  found,  after  a  third  look  for  her.  Everything 
seems  to  go  by  thirds,  in  this  world,  sir ;  and  I  always  look 
upon  a  third  chase  as  final.  Now,  sir,  there  are  three 
classes  of  admirals,  and  three  sets  of  flags  ;  a  ship  has  three 
masts ;  the  biggest  ships  are  three  deckers ;  then  there  are 
three  planets — " 

"  The  d 1  there  are ! — How  do  you  make  that  out, 

Strand  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  there 's  the  sun,  moon  and  stars ;  that  makes 
just  three,  by  my  count." 

"  Ay,  but  what  do  you  say  to  Jupiter,  Saturn,  Venus,  and 
all  the  rest  of  them,  the  earth  included  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  they  're  all  the  rest  of  the  stars,  and  not 
planets,  at  all.  Then,  sir,  look  around  you,  and  you  '11  find 
everything  going  by  threes.  There  are  three  topsails,  three 
jibs,  and  three  top-gallant-sails — " 

"  And  two  courses,"  said  the  captain,  gravely,  to  whom 
this  theory  of  the  threes  was  new. 

"  Quite  true,  sir,  in  name,  but  your  honour  will  recollect 
the  spanker  is  nothing  but  a  fore-and-aft  course,  rigged  to  a 
mast,  instead  of  to  a  jack-yard,  as  it  used  to  be." 

"  There  are  neither  three  captains  nor  three  boatswains, 
to  a  ship,  Master  Strand." 

"  Certainly  not,  sir ;  that  would  be  oppressive,  and  they 
would  stand  in  each  other's  way ;  still,  Captain  Cuffe,  the 
thirds  hold  out  wonderfully,  even  in  all  these  little  matters. 
There 's  the  three  lieutenants ;  and  there  's  the  boatswain, 
gunner  and  carpenter — and — " 

"  Sail-maker,  armourer,  and  captain  of  the  mast,"  inter 
rupted  Cuffe,  laughing. 

u  Well,  sir,  you  may  make  anything  seem  doubtful,  by 
bringing  forward  a  plenty  of  reasons ;  but  all  my  experience 
says,  a  third  chase  never  comes  to  anything,  unless  it  turns 
out  successful ;  but  that  after  a  third  chase,  all  may  as  well 
be  given  up." 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  329 

"  I  fancy,  Lord  Nelson  holds  a  different  doctrine,  Strand, 
He  tells  us  to  follow  a  Frenchman  round  the  earth,  rather 
than  let  him  escape." 

"No  doubt,  sir.  Follow  him  round  three  earths,  if  you 
can  keep  him  in  sight ;  but  not  round  four.  That  is  all  1 
contend  for,  Captain  Cuffe.  Even  women,  they  tell  me, 
take  what  is  called  their  thirds,  in  a  fellow's  forti'n." 

"  Well,  well,  Strand,  I  suppose  there  must  be  some  truth 
in  your  doctrine,  or  you  wouldn't  hold  out  for  it  so  strenu 
ously  ;  and,  as  for  this  coast,  I  must  give  it  up,  too,  for  1 
never  expect  to  see  another  like  it ;  much  less  a  third." 

"  It 's  my  duty  to  give  up  to  your  honour ;  but  I  ask  per 
mission  to  think  a  third  chase  should  always  be  the  last 
one.  That 's  a  melancholy  sight  to  a  man  of  feelin',  Cap 
tain  Cuffe,  the  object  between  the  two  midship-guns,  on  the 
starboard  side  of  the  main-deck,  sir?" 

"  You  mean  the  prisoner  ? — I  wish,  with  all  my  heart,  he 
was  not  there,  Strand.  I  think  I  would  rather  he  were  in 
his  lugger  again,  to  run  the  chances  of  that  fourth  chase  of 
which  you  seem  to  think  so  lightly." 

"  Your  hanging  ships  are  not  often  lucky  ships,  Captain 
Cuffe.  In  my  judgment,  asking  your  pardon,  sir,  there 
ought  to  be  a  floating  gaol  in  every  fleet,  where  all  the  courts 
and  all  the  executions  should  be  held." 

"  It  would  be  robbing  the  boatswains  of  no  small  part  of 
their  duty,  were  the  punishments  to  be  sent  out  of  the  differ 
ent  vessels,"  answered  Cuffe,  smiling. 

"Ay,  ay,  sir — the  punishments,  I  grant,  your  honour; 
but  hanging  is  an  execution,  and  not  a  punishment.  God 
forbid  that,  at  my  time  of  life,  I  should  be  ordered  to  sail  in 
a  ship  that  has  no  punishment  on  board  ;  but  I'm  really  get 
ting  to  be  too  old  to  look  at  executions  with  any  sort  of 
pleasure.  Duty  .that  isn't  done  with  pleasure,  is  but  poor 
duty,  at  the  best,  sir." 

"  There  are  many  disagreeable,  and  some  painful  duties 
to  be  performed,  Strand ;  this  of  executing  a  man,  let  the 
oflence  be  what  it  may,  is  among  the  most  painful." 

"  For  my  part,  Captain  Cuffe,  I  do  not  mind  hanging  a 

mutineer  so  very  much,  for  he  is  a  being  that  the  world 

ought  not  to  harbour ;  but  it  is  a  different  thing  with  an 

enemy,  and  a  spy.     It 's  our  duty  to  spy  as  much  as  we 

28* 


330  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

can  for  our  king  and  country,  and  one  ought  never  to  bear 
too  hard  on  such  as  does  their  duty.  With  a  fellow  that 
can't  obey  orders,  and  who  puts  his  own  will  above  the 
pleasure  of  his  superiors,  I  have  no  patience;  but  I  do  not 
so  much  understand  why  the  gentlemen  of  the  courts  are  so 
hard  on  such  as  do  a  little  more  reconn'itrin'  than  com. 
mon." 

"  That  is  because  ships  are  less  exposed  to  the  attempts 
of  spies  than  armies,  Strand.  A  soldier  hates  a  spy,  as 
much  as  you  do  a  mutineer.  The  reason  is,  that  he  may 
be  surprised  by  an  enemy  through  his  means,  and  butchered 
in  his  sleep.  Nothing  is  so  unpleasant  to  a  soldier  as  a 
surprise ;  and  the  law  against  spies,  though  a  general  law  of 
war,  originated  with  soldiers,  rather  than  with  us  sailors,  I 
should  think." 

"Yes,  sir,  —  I  dare  say  your  honour  is  right.  He's  a 
rum  'un  a  soldier,  at  the  best ;  and  this  opinion  proves  it. 
Now,  sir,  Captain  CufFe,  just  suppose  a  Frenchman  of  about 
our  own  metal,  took  it  into  his  head  to  surprise  the  Proser 
pine,  some  dark  night :  what  would  come  of  it,  after  all  ? 
There 's  the  guns,  and  it 's  only  to  turn  the  hands  up,  to  set 
'em  at  work,  just  the  same  as  if  there  wasn't  a  spy  in  the 
world.  And  should  they  prefer  to  come  on  board  us,  and 
to  try  their  luck  at  close  quarters,  I  rather  think,  sir,  the 
surprise  would  meet  'em  face  to  face.  No — no — sir ;  spies 
is  nothing  to  us,  though  it  might  teach  'em  manners  to  keel 
haul  one,  once-and-a-while." 

Curie  now  became  thoughtful  and  silent,  and  even  Strand 
did  not  presume  to  speak,  when  the  Captain  was  in  this 
humour.  The  latter  descended  to  the  forecastle,  and  walked 
aft,  his  hands  behind  his  back,  and  his  head  inclining 
downward.  Every  one  he  met  made  way  for  him,  as  a 
matter  of  course;  in  that  mood,  he  moved  among  the  throng 
of  a  ship  of  war,  as  a  man  tabooed.  Even  Winchester  re 
spected  his  commander's  abstraction,  although  he  had  a 
serious  request  to  make,  which  it  is  time  to  explain. 
'  Andrea  Barrofaldi  and  Vito  Viti  remained  on  board  the 
frigate,  inmates  of  the  cabin,  and  gradually  becoming  more 
accustomed  to  their  novel  situation.  They  did  not  escape 
the  jokes  of  a  man-of-war,  but,  on  the  whole,  they  were  well 
treated,  and  were  tolerably  satisfied;  more  especially  as  the 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  331 

hope  of  capturing  le  Feu-Follet  bogan  to  revive.  As  a  mut 
ter  of  course,  they  were  apprised  of  the  condition  of  Raoul, 
and,  both  kind  and  benevolent  men  in  the  main,  they  were 
desirous  of  conversing  with  the  prisoner,  and  of  proving  to 
him  that  they  bore  no  malice.  Winchester  was  spoken  to 
on  the  subject,  but  before  he  granted  the  permission,  he 
thought  it  safest  to  consult  the  Captain  in  the  matter.  At 
length  an  opportunity  offered,  Cuffe  suddenly  rousing  him 
self,  and  giving  an  order  in  relation  to  the  canvass  the  ship 
was  under. 

"  Here  are  the  two  Italian  gentlemen,  Captain  Cuffe," 
observed  Winchester,  "desirous  of  speaking  to  the  prisoner. 
I  did  not  think  it  right,  sir,  to  let  him  have  communication 
with  any  one,  without  first  ascertaining  your  pleasure." 

"  Poor  fellow  ! — His  time  is  getting  very  short,  unless  we 
hear  from  Clinch ;  and  there  can  be  no  harm  in  granting 
him  every  indulgence.  I  have  been  thinking  of  this  matter, 
and  do  not  possibly  see  how  I  can  escape  ordering  the 
execution,  unless  it  be  countermanded  from  Nelson  him 
self.3' 

"  Certainly  not,  sir.  But  Mr.  Clinch  is  an  active  and 
experienced  seaman,  when  he  is  in  earnest ;  we  may  still 
hope  something  from  him.  What  is  to  be  done  with  the 
Italians,  sir'/" 

"  Let  them,  or  any  one  else  that  poor  Yvard  is  willing  to 
see,  go  below." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  include  old  Giuntotardi  and  his  niece, 
Captain  CufTe?  —  and  this  deserter  of  our  own,  Bolt,  —  he, 
too,  has  had  something  to  say  of  a  wish  to  take  leave  of  his 
late  shipmate  ?" 

"  We  might  be  justified  in  denying  the  request  of  the 
last,  Mr.  Winchester,  but  hardly  of  the  others.  Still,  if  Raoul 
Yvard  wishes  to  see  even  him,  his  desire  may  as  well  be 
granted." 

Thus  authorized,  Winchester  no  longer  hesitated  about 
granting  the  several  permissions.  An  order  was  sent  to 
the  sentinel,  through  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  to  allow  any 
one  to  enter  the  prisoner's  room,  whom  the  latter  might  wish 
to  receive.  A  ship  was  not  like  a  prison  on  shore,  escape 
being  next  to  impossible,  more  especially  from  a  vessel  at 
sea.  The  parties  accordingly  received  intimation  that  they 


332  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

might  visit  the  condemned  man,  should  the  latter  be  disposed 
to  receive  them. 

By  this  time,  something  like  a  general  gloom  had  settled 
on  the  ship.  The  actual  state  of  things  was  known  to  all 
on  board,  and  few:  believed  it  possible  that  Clinch  could  reach 
the  Foudroyant,  receive  his  orders,  and  be  back  in  time  to 
prevent  the  execution.  It  wanted  now  but  three  hour?  of 
sunset,  and  the  minutes  appeared  to  fly,  instead  of  dragging. 
The  human  mind  is  so  constituted,  that  uncertainty  increases 
most  of  its  sensations;  —  the  apprehension  of  death  even, 
very  usually  exciting  a  livelier  emotion  than  its  positive 
approach.  Thus  it  was  with  the  officers  and  people  of  the 
Proserpine :  had  there  been  no  hope  of  escaping  the  execu 
tion,  they  would  have  made  up  their  minds  to  submit  to  the 
evil,  as  unavoidable ;  but  the  slight  chance  which  did  actu 
ally  exist,  created  a  feverish  excitement  that  soon  extended 
to  all  hands ;  and  this  as  .completely  as  if  a  chase  were  in 
sight,  and  each  individual  was  bent  on  overtaking  her.  As 
minute  after  minute  flew  by,  the  feeling  increased,  until  it 
would  not  much  exceed  the  bounds  of  truth  to  say,  that, 
under  none  of  the  vicissitudes  of  war,  did  there  ever  exist  so 
feverish  an  hour,  on  board  his  Britannic  Majesty's  ship,  the 
Proserpine,  as  the  very  period  of  which  we  are  now  writing. 
Eyes  were  constantly  turlied  towards  the  sun,  and  several 
of  the  young  gentlemen  collected  on  the  forecastle,  with  no 
other  view  than  to  be  as  near  as  possible  to  the  head-land, 
around  which  the  boat  of  Clinch  was  expected  to  make  her 
re-appearance,  as  behind  it  she  had  last  been  seen. 

The  zephyr  had  come  at  the  usual  hour,  but  it  was  light, 
and  the  ship  was  so  close  to  the  mountains,  as  to  feel  very 
little  of  its  force.  It  was  different  with  the  two  other 
vessels.  Lyon  had  gone  about  in  time,  to  get  clear  of  the 
highest  mountains,  and  his  lofty  sails  took  enough  of  the 
breeze,  to  carry  him  out  to  sea,  three  or  four  hours  before ; 
while  the  Terpsichore,  under  Sir  Frederick  Dashwood,  had 
never  got  near  enough  in  with  the  land,  to  be  becalmed  at 
all.  Her  head  had  been  laid  to  the  south-west,  at  the  first 
appearance  of  the  afternoon  wind;  and  that  frigate  was  now 
hull-down  to  sea-ward — actually  making  a  free  wind  of  it, 
as  she  shaped  her  course  up  between  Ischia  and  Capri.  As 
ror  the  Proserpine,  when  the  bell  struck  three,  in  the  first 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  333 

dog-watch,  she  was  just  abeam  of  the  celebrated  little  islets 
of  the  Sirens,  the  western  breeze  now  beginning  to  die 
away,  though,  getting  more  of  it,  the  ship  was  drawing 
ahead,  faster  than  she  had  been  since  the  turn  of  the  day. 

Three  bells,  in  the  first  dog-vva!ch,  indicate  the  hour  of 
half-past  five.  At  that  season  of  the  year,  the  sun  sets  a 
few  minutes  post  six.  Of  course,  there  remained  but  little-, 
more  than  half-an-hour,  in  which  to  execute  the  sentence  of 
the  law.  CufTe  had  never  quitted  the  deck,  and  he  actually 
started,  when  he  heard  the  first  sound  of  the  clapper.  Win 
chester  turned  towards  him,  with  an  inquiring  look ; 
for  every  thing  had  been  previously  arranged  between 
them  ;  he  received  merely  a  significant  gesture  in  return. 
This,  however,  was  sufficient.  Certain  orders  were  privately 
issued.  Then  there  appeared  a  stir  among  the  fore-top- 
men,  and  on  the  forecastle,  where  a  rope  was  rove  at  the 
fore-yard-arrn,  and  a  grating  was  rigged  for  a  platform- 
unerring  signs  of  the  approaching  execution. 

Accustomed  as  these  hardy  mariners  were  to  brave  dan 
gers  of  all  sorts,  and  to  witness  human  suffering  of  nearly 
every  degree,  a  feeling  of  singular  humanity  had  come  over 
the  whole  crew.  Raoul  was  their  enemy,  it  is  true,  and  he 
had  been  sincerely  detested  by  all  hands,  eight-and-forty 
hours  before ;  but  circumstances  had  entirely  changed  the 
ancient  animosity  into  a  more  generous  and  manly  senti 
ment.  In  the  first  place,  a  successful  and  a  triumphant 
enemy  was  an  object  very  different  from  a  man  in  their 
own  power,  and  who  lay  entirely  at  their  mercy.  .Then, 
the  personal  appearance  of  the  young  privateersman  was 
unusually  attractive,  and  altogether  different  from  what  it 
had  been  previously  represented,  and  that,  too,  by  an  active 
rivalry,  that  was  not  altogether  free  from  bitterness.  But 
chiefly,  was  the  generous  sentiment  awakened  by  the  con 
viction  that  the  master-passion,  and  none  of  the  usual  in 
ducements  of  a  spy,  had  brought  their  enemy  into  this 
strait ;  and  though  clearly  guilty,  in  a  technical  point  of 
view,  that  he  was  influenced  by  no  pitiful  wages,  even  al 
lowing  that  he  blended  with  the  pursuit  of  his  love,  some  of 
the  motives  of  his  ordinary  warfare.  All  these  considera 
tions,  coupled  with  the  reluctance  that  seamen  ever  feel  to 
having  an  execution  in  their  ship,  had  entirely  turned  the 


334  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

tables  ;  and  there,  where  Raoul  would  have  found  so  lately, 
between  two  and  three  hundred  active  and  formidable  ene 
mies,  he  might  almost  be  said  now  to  have  as  many  sym 
pathizing  friends. 

No  wonder,  then,  that  the  preparations  of  the  ft. re-  top- 
men  were  regarded  with  unfavourable  eyes.  The  unseen 
hand  of  authority,  nevertheless,  held  all  in  restraint.  Gutfb 
himself  did  not  dare  to  hesitate  any  longer.  The  necessary 
orders  were  given,  though  with  deep  reluctance,  and  then 
the  captain  went  below,  as  if  to  hide  himself  from  human 
eyes. 

The  ten  minutes  that  succeeded  were  minutes  of  intense 
concern.  All  hands  were  called,  the  preparations  had  been 
completed,  and  Winchester  waited  only  for  the  re-appear 
ance  of  Cuffe,  to  issue  the  order  10  have  the  prisoner  placed 
on  the  grating.  A  midshipman  was  sent  into  the  cabin, 
after  which,  the  commanding  officer  came  slowly,  and  with 
a  lingering  step,  upon  the  quarter-deck.  The  crew  was 
assembled  on  the  forecastle  and  in  the  waists  ;  the  marine 
guard  was  under  arms  ;  the  officers  clustered  around  the 
capstan  ;  and  a  solemn,  uneasy  expectation,  pervaded  the 
whole  ship.  The  lightest  foot-foil  was  audible.  Andrea 
and  his  friend  stood  apart,  near  the  taffrail,  but  no  one  saw 
Carlo  Giuntotardi,  or  his  niece. 

"There  is  yet  some  five-and-twenty  minutes  of  sun,  I 
should  think,  Mr.  Winchester,"  observed  Cuffe,  feverishly 
glancing  his  eye  at  the  western  margin  of  the  sea,  towards 
which. the  orb  of  day  was  slowly  settling,  gilding  all  that 
side  of  the  vault  of  heaven  with  the  mellow  lustre  of  the 
hour  and  the  latitude. 

'*  Not  more  than  twenty,  I  fear,  sir,"  was  the  reluctant 
answer. 

"  I  should  think  five  might  suffice,  at  the  worst ;  espe 
cially,  if  the  men  made  a  swift  run.''  This  was  said  in  a 
half  whisper,  and  thick,  husky,  tones,  the  Captain  looking 
anxiously  at  the  lieutenant  the  while. 

Winchester  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  turned  awny 
unwilling  to  reply. 

Cuffe  now  had  a  short  consultation  with  the  surgeon,  the 
object  of  which  was  to  ascertain  the  minimum  of  time  a  man 
might  live  suspended  by  the  neck  at  the  yard-arm  of  a 


LE     PEU-FOLLET.  335 

frigate.  The  result  was  not  favourable;  for  a  sign  followed 
to  bring  forth  the  prisoner. 

Raoul  came  on  deck,  in  charge  of  the  master-at-arms, 
and  the  officer  who  had  acted  as  prevost-martial.  He  was 
clad  in  his  clean  white  lazzarone  garb,  wearing  the  red 
Phrygian  cap  already  mentioned.  Though  his  face  was 
pale,  no  man  could  detect  any  tremor  in  the  well-turned 
muscles  that  his  loose  attire  exposed  10  view.  He  raised  his 
cap  courteously  to  the  group  of  officers,  and  threw  an  un 
derstanding  glance  forward,  at  the  fearful  arrangement  on 
the  fore-yard.  That  he  was  shocked,  when  the  grating  and 
the  rope  met  his  eye,  is  unquestionable;  but,  rallying  in  an 
instant,  he  smiled,  bowed  to  Cuffe,  and  moved  towards  the 
scene  of  his  contemplated  execution,  firmly,  but  without  the 
smallest  signs  of  bravado  in  his  manner. 

A  death-like  stillness  prevailed,  while  the  subordinates 
adjusted  the  rope,  and  placed  the  condemned  man  on  the 
grating.  Then  the  slack  of  the  rope  was  drawn  in,  by 
hand,  and  the  men  were  ordered  to  lay  hold  of  the  instru 
ment  of  death,  and  to  stretch  it  along  the  deck. 

"Stand  by,  my  lads,  to  make  a  swift  run,  and  a  strong 
jerk,  at  your  first  pull,"  said  Winchester  in  a  low  voice,  as 
he  passed  down  the  line.  "  Rapidity  is  mercy,  at  such  a 
moment." 

"  Good  God  !"  muttered  Cuffe,  "  can  the  man  die  in  this 
manner,  without  a  prayer ;  without  even  a  glance  towards 
heaven,  as  if  asking  for  mercy  ?" 

"He  is  an  unbeliever, I  hear,  sir,"  returned  Griffin.  "  We 
have  offered  him  all  the  religious  consolation  we  could ;  but 
he  seems  to  wish  for  none.'5 

"  Hail  the  top-gallant  yards  once  more,  Mr.  Winchester," 
said  Cuffe,  huskily. 

"Fore-top-gallant  yard,  ttnre !" 

"Sir?" 

"  Any  signs  of  the  boat — look  well  into  the  bay  of  Naples 
—we  are  opening  Campanella  now  sufficiently  to  give  you 
a  good  look  up  towards  the  head." 

A  pause  of  a  minute  succeeded.  Then  the  look-out  aloft 
shook  his  head  in  the  negative,  as  if  unwilling  to  speak. 
Winchester  glanced  at  Cuffe,  who  turned  anxiously,  mounted 
a  gun,  and  strained  his  eyes  ;^  a  gaze  to  the  northward. 


336  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

"All  ready,  sir,"  said  the  first-lieutenant,  when  another 
minute  elapsed. 

Cuffe  was  in  the  act  of  raising  his  hand,  which  would 
have  been  the  signal  of  death,  when  the  dull,  heavy  report 
of  a  distant  gun,  came  booming  down  from  the  direction  of 
the  town  of  Naples. 

"  Stand  fast !"  shouted  Cuffe,  fearful  the  men  might  get 
the  start  of  him.  "  Make  your  mates  take  their  calls  from 
their  mouths,  sir.  Two  more  guns,  Winchester,  and  I  am 
the  happiest  man  in  Nelson's  fleet !" 

A  second  gun  did  come,  just  as  these  words  were  uttered : 
then  followed  a  breathless  pause  of  half  a  minute,  when  a 
third,  smothered,  but  unequivocal  report  succeeded. 

"  It  must  be  a  salute,  s*r,"  Griffin  uttered,  inquiringly. 

"  The  interval  is  too  long.  Listen !  I  hope  to  God,  we 
have  had  the  last !" 

Every  ear  in  the  ship  listened  intently,  Cuffe  holding  his 
watch  in  his  hand.  Two  entire  minutes  passed,  and  no 
fourth  gun  was  heard.  As  second  after  second  went  by, 
the  expression  of  the  captain's  countenance  changed,  and 
then  he  waved  his  hand  in  triumph. 

"  It 's  as  it  should  be,  gentlemen,"  he  said.  "Take  the 
prisoner  below,  Mr.  Winchester.  Unreeve  the  rope,  and 

send  that  d d  grating  off  the  gun.  Mr.  Strand,  pipe 

down  the  people." 

Raoul  was  immediately  led  below.  As  he  passed  through 
the  after-hatch,  all  the  officers  on  the  quarter-deck  bowed  to 
him ;  and  not  a  man  was  there  in  the  ship,  who  did  not  feel 
the  happier  for  the  reprieve. 


L  E     FEU-FOLLET.  337 


CHAPTER  XXIIL 


*  He  saw  with  his  own  eyes  the  moon  was  round, 
Was  also  certain  that  the  earth  was  square, 
Because  he  'd  journey'd  fifty  miles,  and  found 
No  sign  that  it  was  circular  anywhere." 

Don  Juan. 

RAOUL  YVARD  was  indebted  to  a  piece  of  forethought  iu 
Clinch,  for  his  life.  But  for  the  three  guns,  fired  so  oppor 
tunely  from  the  Foudroyant,  the  execution  could  not  have 
been  stayed ;  and  but  for  a  prudent  care  on  the  part  of  the 
master's-mate,  the  guns  would  never  have  been  fired.  The 
explanation  is  this  :  When  Cufle  was  giving  his  subordinate 
instructions  how  to  proceed,  the  possibility  of  detention  struck 
the  latter,  and  he  bethought  him  of  some  expedient  by  which 
such  an  evil  might  be  remedied.  At  his  suggestion,  then, 
the  signal  of  the  guns  was  mentioned  by  the  captain,  in  his 
letter  to  the  commander-in-chief,  and  its  importance  pointed 
out.  When  Clinch  reached  the  fleet,  Nelson  was  at  Castel 
a  Mare,  and  it  became  necessary  to  follow  him  to  that  place 
by  land.  Here  Clinch  found  him  in  the  palace  of  Qui-Si- 
Sane,  in  attendance  on  the  court,  and  delivered  his  des 
patches.  Nothing  gave  the  British  admiral  greater  plea 
sure,  than  to  be  able  to  show  mercy  ;  the  instance  to  the 
contrary  already  introduced,  existing  as  an  exception  in  his 
private  character  and  his  public  career ;  and  it  is  possible 
that  an  occurrence  so  recent,  and  so  opposed  to  his  habits, 
may  have  induced  him  the  more  willingly  now  to  submit  to 
his  ordinary  impulses,  and  to  grant  the  respite  asked,  with 
the  greater  promptitude. 

"  Your  captain  tells  me,  here,  sir,"  observed  Nelson,  after 
he  had  read  Cuffe's  letter  a  second  time,  "  little  doubt  exists 
that  Yvard  was  in  the  Bay  on  a  love  affair,  and  that  his 
purposes  were  not  those  of  a  spy,  after  all?" 

"  Such  is  the  opinion  aboard  us,  my  lord,"  answered  the 
master's-mate.  "  There  are  an  old  man  and  a  very  charm 
ing  young  woman  in  his  company,  whom  Captain  CufFe 
29 


338  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

says  were  in  the  cabin  of  this  ship,  on  a  visit  to  your  lord 
ship,  only  a  few  days  since." 

Nelson  started,  and  his  face  flushed.  Then  he  seized  a 
pen,  and,  with  the  only  hand  he  had,  scratched  a  letter, 
directing  a  reprieve  until  further  orders.  This  he  signed, 
and  handed  to  Clinch,  saying,  as  he  did  so — 

"  Get  into  your  boat,  sir,  and  pull  back  to  the  frigate  as 
fast  as  possible;  God  forbid  that  any  man  suffer  wrong 
fully  !" 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  my  lord  —  but  there  is  not  time, 
now,  for  me  to  reach  the  ship  before  the  sun  set.  I  have 
a  signal  prepared  in  the  boat,  it  is  true ;  but  the  frigate  may 
not  come  round  Campanella  before  the  last  moment,  and 
then  all  these  pains  will  be  lost.  Does  not  Captain  Cuffe 
speak  of  some  guns  to  be  fired  from  the  flag-ship,  my  lord?" 

"  He  does,  sir  ;  and  this  may  be  the  safest  mode  of  com 
municating,  after  all.  With  this  light  westerly  air,  a  gun 
will  be  heard  a  long  distance  at  sea.  Take  the  pen,  and 
write  as  I  dictate,  sir." 

Clinch  seized  the  pen,  which  the  admiral,  who  had  lost 
his  right  arm  only  a  few  years  before,  really  felt  unable  to 
use,  and  wrote  as  follows — 

"  Sir — Immediately  on  receipt  of  this,  you  will  fire  three 
heavy  guns,  at  intervals  of  half-a-minute,  as  a  signal  to  the 
Proserpine  to  suspend  an  execution. 

"  To  the  Commanding  Officer  of  His  Majesty's  Ship 
Foudroyant." 

As  soon  as  the  magical  words  of  "  Nelson  and  Bronte" 
were  affixed  to  this  order,  with  a  date,  Clinch  rose  to  depart. 
After  he  had  made  his  bows,  he  stood  with  his  hand  on  the 
lock  of  the  door,  as  if  uncertain  whether  to  prefer  a  request 
or  not. 

"  This  is  a  matter  of  moment,  sir,  and  no  time  is  to  be 
lost,"  added  Nelson.  "  I  feel  great  anxiety  about  it,  and 
wish  yon  to  desire  Captain  Cuffe  to  send  you  back  with  a 
report  of  all  that  has  passed,  as  soon  as  convenient." 

"  I  wiU  report  your  wishes,  my  lord,"  answered  Clinch, 
brightening  up  ;  for  he  only  wanted  an  opportunity  to  speak 
af  his  own  promotion,  and  this  was  now  offered  in  per- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  339 

spective.     "  May  I  tell  the  commanding  officer  of  the  flag- 
ship  to  use  the  lower-deck  guns,  my  lord  1" 

"  He  will  do  that  of  his  own  accord,  after  reading  those 
orders  —  heavy  guns,  mean  the  heaviest.  Good-afternoon, 
sir  ;  for  God's  sake,  lose  no  time." 

Clinch  obeyed  this  injunction  to  the  letter.  He  reached 
the  Foudroyant,  some  time  before  sunset,  and  immediately 
placed  the  order  in  her  captain's  hands.  A  few  words  of 
explanation  set  everything  in  motion,  and  the  three  guns 
were  fired  on  the  side  of  the  ship  towards  Capri,  most 
opportunely  for  our  hero. 

The  half-hour  that  succeeded,  on  board  the  Proserpine, 
was  one  of  gaiety  and  merriment.  Every  person  was  glad 
that  the  ship  had  escaped  an  execution ;  and  then,  it  was 
the  hour  for  piping  down  the  hammocks,  and  for  shifting 
the  dog-watches.  Cuffe  recovered  all  his  animation,  and 
conversed  cheerfully,  having  Griffin  for  an  interpreter,  with 
his  two  Italian  guests.  These  last  had  been  prevented  from 
paying  their  visit  to  the  prisoner,  on  account  of  the  latter's 
wish  to  be  alone ;  but  the  intention  was  now  renewed  ;  and 
sending  below,  to  ascertain  if  it  would  be  agreeable,  they 
proceeded  together  on  their  friendly  mission.  As  the  two 
worthies,  who  had  not  altogether  got  their  sea-legs,  slowly 
descended  the  ladder,  and  threaded  their  way  among  the 
throng  of  a  ship,  the  discourse  did  not  flag  between  them. 

"  Cospetto  1"  exclaimed  the  podesta  ;  "  Signor  Andrea, 
we  live  in  a  world  of  wonders !  A  man  can  hardly  say 
whether  he  is  actually  alive,  or  not.  To  think  how  near 
this  false  Sir  Smees  was  to  death,  half  an  hour  since ;  and, 
now,  doubtless  he  is  as  much  alive,  and  as  rnerry  as  a.ny 
of  us!1' 

"  It  would  be  more  useful,  friend  Vito  Viti,"  answered  the 
philosophical  vice-governalore,  "  to  remember  how  near 
those  who  live  are  always  to  death,  who  has  only  to  open 
his  gates,  to  cause  the  strongest  and  fairest  to  pass  at  once 
into  the  tombs." 

"  By  San  Stefano,  but  you  have  a  way  with  you,  vice- 
govcrnatore,  that  would  become  a  cardinal !  It 's  a  thou 
sand  pities  the  church  was  robbed  of  such  a  support ;  though 
I  do  think,  Signor  Andrea,  if  your  mind  would  dwell  less  on 
another  state  of  being,  it  would  be  more  cheerful  j  and  I 


340  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

may  s?  y  more  cheering  to  those  with  whom  you  discourse. 
There  are  evils  enough,  in  this  life,  without  thinking  so 
much  of  death." 

"  There  are  philosophers  who  pretend,  good  Vito,  that 
nothing  that  we  see  around  us  actually  has  an  existence. 
That  we  fancy  everything:  fancy  that  this  is  a  sea  called 
the  Mediterranean;  fancy  this  is  a  ship  —  yonder  is  the 
land  ;  fancy  that  we  live ;  and  even  fancy  death." 

"  Corpo  di  Bacco  !  Signer  Andrea,"  exclaimed  the  other, 
stopping  short  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  and  seizing  his  com- 
panion  by  a  button,  afraid  he  would  desert  him  in  the  midst 
of  a  strange  delusion,  "  you  would  not  trifle  in  such  a  matter 
with  an  old  friend  —  one  who  has  known  you  from  child 
hood  ?  Fancy  that  I  am  alive  !" 

"  Si  —  I  have  told  you  only  the  truth.  The  imagination 
is  very  strong,  and  may  easily  give  the  semblance  of  reality 
to  unreal  things." 

"  And  that  I  am  not  a  podesta  in  fact,  but  one  only  in 
fancy !" 

"  Just  so,  friend  Vito  ;  and  that  I  am  only  a  vice-gover- 
natore,  too,  in  the  imagination." 

"  And  that  Elba  is  not  a  real  island,  or  Porto  Ferrajo  a 
real  town ,  and  that  even  all  our  iron,  of  which  we  seem  to 
send  so  much  about  the  world,  in  good,  wholesome  ships,  is 
only  a  sort  of  ghost  of  solid  substantial  metal !" 

"  Si — si — that  everything  which  appears  to  be  material, 
is,  in  fact,  imaginary  ;  iron,  gold,  or  flesh." 

"  And  then  I  am  not  Vito  Viti,  but  an  impostor?  What 
a  rascally  philosophy  is  this !  Why,  both  of  us  are  as  bad 
as  this  Sir  Smees,  if  what  you  say  be  true,  vice-governatore 
— or  make-believe  vice-governatore." 

"  Not  an  impostor,  friend  Vito ;  for  there  is  no  real  being 
of  thy  name,  if  thou  art  not  he." 

"  Diavolo  !  A  pretty  theory  this,  which  would  teach  the 
young  people  of  Elba  that  there  is  no  actual  podesta  in  the 
island,  but  only  a  poor  miserable  sham  one ;  and  no  Vito 
Viti  on  earth.  If  they  get  to  think  this,  God  help  the  place 
as  to  order  and  sobriety." 

"  I  do  not  think,  neighbour,  that  you  fully  understand  the 
matter,  which  may  be  owing  to  a  want  of  clearness  on  my 
part ;  but  as  we  are  now  on  our  way  to  visit  an  unfortunate 


.1 


LEFEU-FOLLET.  34 

prisoner,  we  may  as  well  postpone  the  discussion  to  another 
time.  There  are  many  leisure  moments  on  board  a  ship,  to 
the  language  of  which  one  is  a  stranger,  that  might  be  use 
fully  and  agreeably  relieved  by  going  into  the  subject  more 
at  large." 

"  Your  pardon,  Signor  Andrea  ; — but  there  is  no  time  like 
the  present.  Then,  if  the  theory  be  true,  there  is  no  pri 
soner  at  all — or,  at  the  most,  an  imaginary  one — and  it  can 
do  Sir  Smees  no  harm  to  wait ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  I 
shall  not  have  a  moment's  peace,  until  I  learn  whether  there 
is  such  a  man  as  Vito  Viti,  or  not,  and  whether  I  am  he." 

"  Brother  Vito,  thou  art  impatient ;  these  things  are  not 
learned  in  a  moment ;  moreover,  every  system  has  a  begin 
ning  and  an  end,  like  a  book ;.  and  who  would  ever  become 
learned,  that  should  attempt  to  read  a  treatise  backward  ?" 

"  I  know  what  is  due  to  you,  Signor  Andrea,  both  on 
account  of  your  higher  rank,  and  on  account  of  your  greater 
wisdom,  and  will  say  no  more  at  present;  though  to  keep 
from  thinking  on  a  philosophy  that  leaches  I  am  not  a 
podesta,  or  you  a  vice-governatore,  is  more  than  flesh  and 
blood  can  bear." 

Andrea  Barrofaldi,  glad  that  his  companion  was  momen 
tarily  appeased,  now  proceeded  towards  Raoul's  little  prison, 
and  was  immediately  admitted  by  the  sentry,  who  had  his 
orders  to  that  effect.  The  prisoner  received  his  guests 
courteously  and  cheerfully ;  for  we  are  far  from  wishing  to 
represent  him  as  so  heroic  as  not  to  rejoice  exceedingly  at 
having  escaped  death  by  hanging,  even  though  it  might 
prove  to  be  a  respite,  rather  than  a  pardon.  At  such  a 
moment,  the  young  man  could  have  excused  a  much  more 
offensive  intrusion,  and  the  sudden  change  in  his  prospects 
disposed  him  a  little  to  be  jocular;  for  truth  compels  us  to 
add,  that  gratitude  to  God  entered  but  little  into  his  emo 
tions.  The  escape  from  death,  like  his  capture,  and  the 
other  incidents  of  his  cruise,  were  viewed  simply  as  the 
results  of  the  fortune  of  war. 

Winchester  had  directed  that  Raoul's  state-room  should 
be  supplied  with  every  little  convenience  that  his  situation 
required,  and,  among  other  things,  it  had  two  common 
ship's  stools.  One  of  these  was  given  to  each  of  the  Ita 
lians,  while  the  prisoner  took  a  seat  on  the  gun-tackle  of  one 
29  * 


342  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

of  the  two  guns  that  formed  the  sides  of  his  apartment.  Ii 
was  now  night,  and  a  mist  had  gathered  over  the  arch  above, 
which  hid  the  stars,  and  rendered  it  quite  dark.  JStill, 
Raoul  had  neither  lamp,  nor  candles;  and,  though  they  had 
K^cn  offered  him,  he  declined  their  use,  as  he  had  found 
stranger  eyes  occasionally  peeping  through  the  openings  in 
the  canvass,  with  the  idle  curiosity  of  the  vulgar,  to  ascer 
tain  the  appearance  and  employments  of  one  condemned  to 
die.  He  had  experienced  a  good  deal  of  annoyance  from 
this  feeling,  the  previous  night ;  and  the  same  desire  existing 
to  see  how  a  criminal  could  bear  a  respite,  he  had  deter 
mined  to  pass  his  evening  in  obscurity.  There  was  a 
lantern,  or  two,  however,  on  the  gun-deck,  which  threw  a 
dim  light,  even  beyond  the  limits  of  the  canvass  bulk-heads. 
As  has  been  said  already,  these  bulk-heads  extended  from 
gun  to  gun,  so  as  to  admit  light  and  air  from  the  ports. 
This  brought  the  tackles,  on  one  side,  into  the  room;  and 
on  one  of  these  Raoul  now  took  his  seat. 

Andrea  Barrofaldi,  from  his  superior  condition  in  life,  as 
well  as  from  his  better  education,  and  nicer  natural  tact,  far 
surpassed  his  companion  in  courtesy  of  demeanour.  Tho 
latter  would  have  plunged  in  medias  res  at  once,  but  the 
vicc-governatore  commenced  a  conversation  on  genera! 
matters,  intending  to  oiler  his  congratulations  for  the  recent 
respite,  when  he  conceived  that  a  suitable  occasion  should 
offer.  This  was  an  unfortunate  delay  in  one  respect ;  for 
Vito  Viti  no  sooner  found  that  the  main  object  of  the  visit 
was  to  be  postponed,  than  he  turned  with  eagerness  to  the 
subject  in  discussion,  which  had  been  interrupted  in  order  to 
enter  the  state-room. 

"  Here  has  the  vice-governatore  come  forward  with  a 
theory,  Sir  Smees,"  he  commenced,  the  moment  a  pause  in 
the  discourse  left  him  an  opening — "  here  has  the  vice- 
governatore  come  forward  with  a  theory,  that  I  insist  the 
church  would  call  damnable,  and  at  which  human  nature 
revolts — " 

"  Nay,  c;ood  Vito,  thou  dost  not  state  the  case  fairly," 
interrupted  Andrea,  whose  spirit  was  a  little  aroused  at  so 
abrupt  an  assault.  "  The  theory  is  not  mine ;  it  is  that  of 
a  certain  English  philosopher,  in  particular  who,  let-  it  bo 
said,  too,  was  a  bishop." 


LE     FEU-POLLET.  343 

"  A  Lutheran ! — was  it  not  so,  honourable  Signer  An 
drea? — a  bishop  so  called?" 

"  Why,  to  confess  the  truth,  he  teas  a  heretic,  and  not 
to  be  considered  as  an  apostle  of  the  true  church." 

"Ay  —  I  would  have  sworn  to  that.  No  true  son  of 
the  church  would  ever  broach  such  a  doctrine.  Only 
fancy,  signori,  the  number  of  imaginary  fires,  tongues,  and 
other  instruments  of  torture  that  would  become  necessary 
to  carry  on  punishment  under  such  a  system  !  To  be  con 
sistent,  even  the  devils  ought  to  be  imaginary." 

"  Comment,  signori !"  exclaimed  Kaoul,  smiling,  and 
arousing  to  a  sudden  interest  in  the  discourse ;  "  did  any 
English  bishop  ever  broach  such  a  doctrine?  Imaginary 
devils,  and  imaginary  places  of  punishment,  are  coming  near 
to  our  revolutionary  France  !  After  this,  I  hope  our  much 
abused  philosophy  will  meet  with  more  respect." 

"  My  neighbour  has  not  understood  the  theory  of  which 
he  speaks,"  answered  Andrea,  too  good  a  churchman  not  to 
feel  uneasiness  at  the  direction  things  were  taking ;  "  and  so, 
worthy  Vito  Viti,  I  feel  the  necessity  of  explaining  the  whole 
matter,  at  some  length.  Sir  Smees,"  so  the  Italians  called 
Raoul,  out  of  courtesy,  still,  it  being  awkward  for  them, 
after  all  that  had  passed,  to  address  him  by  his  real  name— 
*'  Sir  Smees  will  excuse  us,  for  a  few  minutes;  perhaps  it 
may  serve  to  amuse  him,  to  hear  to  what  a  flight  the  imagi 
nation  of  a  subtle-minded  man  can  soar." 

Raoul  civilly  expressed  the  satisfaction  it  would  give  him 
to  listen,  and  stretching  himself  on  the  gun-tackle,  in  order 
to  be  more  at  ease,  he  leaned  back  with  his  head  fairly  within 
the  port,  while  his  feet  were  braced  against  the  inner  truck 
of  the  gun-carriage.  This  threw  him  into  a  somewhat  re 
cumbent  attitude,  but  it  being  understood  as  intended  to 
render  what  was  but  an  inconvenient  seat  at  the  best,  tole 
rably  comfortable,  no  one  thought  it  improper. 

It  is  unnecessary  for  us  to  repeat,  here,  all  that  Andrea 
Barrofaldi  thought  proper  to  say,  in  his  own  justification,  and 
in  explanation  of  the  celebrated  theory  of  Bishop  Berkely. 
Such  a  task  was  not  performed  in  a  minute  ;  and,  in  truth, 
prolixity,  whenever  he  got  upon  a  favourite  theme,  was  apt 
to  be  one  of  the  vice-governatore's  weaknesses.  He  was  far 
from  acquiescing  in  the  doctrine,  though  he  annoyed  his  old 


344  LE    FEU-FOLLET, 

neighbour  exceedingly,  by  presenting  the  subject  in  such  a 
way  as  to  render  it  respectable  in  appearance,  if  not  conclu 
sive  in  argument.  To  the  latter,  it  was  peculiarly  unpleasant 
to  imagine,  even  for  the  sake  of  argument,  that  there  was  no 
such  island  as  Elba,  and  that  he  was  not  its  podesta ;  and 
all  his  personal  and  egotistical  propensities  came  in  aid 
of  his  official  reluctance,  to  disgust  him  thoroughly  with  a 
theory  that  he  did  not  hesitate  to  say,  "  was  an  outrage  o» 
every  honest  man's  nature." 

"  There  are  fellows  in  the  world,  Signor  Andrea,"  the 
straight-forward  podesta  urged,  in  continuation  of  his  objec 
tions,  "  who  might  be  glad  enough  to  find  everything  imagi 
nary,  as  you  say — chaps  that  cannot  sleep  of  nights,  for  bad 
consciences,  and  to  whom  it  would  be  a  great  blessing  if  the 
earth  would  throw  them  overboard,  as  they  say  in  this  ship, 
and  let  them  fall  into  the  great  ocean  of  oblivion.  But  they 
are  baroni  in  grain,  and  ought  not  to  pass  for  anything 
material,  among  honest  people.  I  've  known  several  of  those 
rogues  at  Livorno,  and,  I  dare  say,  Napoli  is  not  altogether 
without  them  ;  but  that  is  a  very  different  matter  from  telling 
a  handsome  and  virtuous  young  maiden,  that  her  beauty 
and  modesty  are  both  seeming ;  and  respectable  magistrates, 
that  they  are  as  great  impostors  as  the  very  rogues  they 
send  to  the  prisons ;  or,  perhaps,  to  the  galleys." 

To  speeches  like  these,  Andrea  opposed  his  explanations 
and  his  philosophy,  until  the  discussion  became  animated, 
and  the  dialogue  loud.  It  is  rather  a  peculiarity  of  Italy, 
that  one  of  the  softest  languages  of  Christendom  is  frequently 
rendered  harsh  and  unpleasant,  by  the  mode  of  using  it.  On 
this  occasion,  certainly,  the  animation  of  the  disputants  did 
not  mitigate  the  evil.  Griffin  happened  to  pass  the  spot,  on 
the  outside  of  the  canvass,  just  at  this  moment,  and,  catch 
ing  some  of  the  words,  he  stopped  to  listen.  His  smiles  and 
translations  soon  collected  a  group  of  officers,  and  the  sentry 
respectfully  dropping  a  little  on  one  side,  the  deck  around 
the  state-room  of  the  prisoner  became  a  sort  of  parquet  to 
a  very  amusing  representation.  Several  of  the  young  gen 
tlemen  understood  a  little  Italian,  and  Griffin  translating 
rapidly,  though  in  an  under-tone,  the  whole  affair  was  deemed 
to  be  particularly  diverting. 

"  This  is  a   rum  way  of  consoling  a  man  who  is  con- 


LE     PEU-FOLLET  345 

demned  to  die,"  muttered  the  master;  "I  wonder  the  French 
man  stands  all  their  nonsense." 

"  O  !"  rejoined  the  marine  officer,  "  drill  will  do  anything. 
These  Revolutionists  are  so  drilled  into  hypocrisy,  that,  I 
dare  say,  the  fellow  is  grinning,  the  whole  time,  as  if  per 
fectly  delighted." 

Raoul,  in  fact,  listened  with  no  little  amusement.  At 
first,  his  voice  was  occasionally  heard  in  the  discussion, 
evidently  aiming  at  exciting  the  disputants  ;  but  the  warmth 
of  the  latter  soon  silenced  him,  and  he  was  fain  to  do  nothing 
but  listen.  Shortly  after  the  discussion  got  to  be  warm, 
and  just  as  Griffin  was  collecting  his  group,  the  prisoner 
stretched  himself  still  further  into  the  port,  to  enjoy  the  cool 
ness  of  the  evening  breeze,  when,  to  his  surprise,  a  hand 
was  laid  gently  on  his  forehead. 

"  Hush  !"  whispered  a  voice  close  to  his  ear,  "  it  is  the 
American — Ithuel — be  cool ; — now  is  the  moment  to  pull 
for  life." 

Raoul  had  too  much  self-command  to  betray  his  astonishr 
ment,  but,  in  an  instant,  every  faculty  he  possessed  was  on 
the  alert.  Ithuel,  he  knew,  was  a  man  for  exigencies. 
Experience  had  taught  him  a  profound  respect  for  his  enter 
prise  and  daring,  when  it  became  necessary  to  act.  Some 
thing  must  certainly  be  in  the  wind,  worthy  of  his  attention, 
or  this  cautious  person  would  not  have  exposed  himself  in  a 
situation  which  would  be  sure  to  lead  to  punishment,  if  de 
tected.  Ithuel  was  seated  astride  of  one  of  the  chains, 
beneath  the  main-channel  of  the  ship,  a  position  which  might 
be  maintained  without  detection,  possibly,  so  long  as  it  con 
tinued  dark ;  but  which,  in  itself,  if  seen,  would  have  beea 
taken  as  a  proof  of  an  evil  intention. 

"What  would  you  have,  Etooelle?"  whispered  Raoul, 
who  perceived  that  his  companions  were  too  much  occupied 
to  observe  his  movements,  or  to  hear  his  words. 

"  The  .Eyetalian,  and  his  niece,  are  about  to  go  ashore. 
Everything  is  ready  and  understood.  I  Ve  consaited  you 
might  pass  out  of  the  port,  in  the  dark,  and  escape  in  the 
boat.  Keep  quiet — we  shall  see."' 

Raoul  understood  his  respite  to  be  a  thing  of  doubtful 
termination.  Under  the  most  favourable  results,  an  English 
prison  remained  in  perspective,  and  then  the  other  side  of 


346  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

the  picture  offered  the  image  of  Ghita  to  his  eye !  He  was 
in  a  tumult  of  feeling,  but,  accustomed  to  self-command,  still 
no  exclamation  escaped  him. 

"When — cher  Etooelle?  when?"  he  asked,  his  whisper 
being  tremulous,  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  command  him 
self. 

"  Now — too-der-sweet — (tout-de-suite) — the  boat  is  at  the 
gangway,  and  old  Giuntotardi  is  in  her — they  are  rigging  a 
chair  for  the  gal. — Ay — there  she  swings  off! — don't  you 
hear  the  call  1" 

Raoul  did  hear  the  whistle  of  the  boatswain,  which  was 
piping  "  lower  away,"  at  that  very  moment.  He  listened 
intently,  as  he  lay  stretched  upon  the  gun-tackles  ;  and  then 
he  heard  the  splash  in  the  water,  as  the  boat  was  hauled 
closer  to,  in  order  to  be  brought  beneath  the  chair.  The 
rattling  of  oars,  too,  was  audible,  as  Ghita  left  the  seat,  and 
moved  aft.  "  Round  in,"  called  out  the  officer  of  the  deck  ; 
after  which  Carlo  Giuntotardi  was  left  in  quiet  possession  of 
his  own  boat. 

The  moment  was  exceedingly  critical.  Some  one,  in  all 
probability,  was  watching  the  boat  from  the  deck  ;  and, 
though  the  night  was  dark,  it  required  the  utmost  caution  to 
proceed  with  any  hopes  of  success.  At  this  instant,  Ithuel 
again  whispered — 

"  The  time's  near.  Old  Carlo  has  his  orders,  and  little 
Ghita  is  alive  to  see  them  obeyed.  All  now  depends  on 
silence  and  activity.  In  less  than  five  minutes,  the  boat  will 
be  under  the  port." 

Raoul  understood  the  plan  ;  but,  it  struck  him  as  hope 
less.  It  seemed  impossible  that  Ghita  could  be  permitted  to 
quit  the  ship,  without  a  hundred  eyes  watching  her  move 
ments  ;  and  though  it  was  dark,  it  was  far  from  being  suffi 
ciently  so,  to  suppose  it  practicable  for  any  one  to  join  her 
and  not  be  seen.  Yet  this  risk  must  be  taken,  or  escape 
was  out  of  the  question.  An  order  given  through  the 
trumpet,  was  encouraging  ;  it  announced  that  the  officer  of 
the  watch  was  employed  at  some  duty  that  must  draw  his 
attention  another  way.  This  was  a  great  deal ;  few  pre 
suming  to  look  aside,  while  this  functionary  was  invning 
their  attention  in  another  direction. 

RaouPs  brain  was  in  a  w<hirl.     The  two  Italians  were  at 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  347 

the  height  of  their  discussion  ;  and  fortunately,  the  clamour 
they  made  was  at  the  loudest.  Even  the  suppressed  laughter 
of  the  officers  on  the  outside  of  the  canvass,  was  audible  to 
him;  though  the  disputants  could  hear  nothing  but  their 
own  voices.  Every  knock  of  the  boat  against  the  ship's 
side,  every  sound  of  the  oars,  as  Carlo's  foot  rattled  them 
about,  and  the  wash  of  the  water,  were  audible.  It  seemed 
as  if  all  the  interests  of  life  —  the  future,  the  past,  and  the 
present,  together  with  the  emotions  of  his  whole  heart,  were 
compressed  into  that  single  instant.  Ignorant  of  what  was 
expected,  he  asked  Ithuel,  in  French,  the  course  he  ought  to 
take. 

"  Am  I  to  fall,  head-foremost,  into  the  water  ?  What 
would  you  have  of  me?"  he  whispered. 

"  Lie  quiet,  till  I  tell  you  to  move.  I'll  make  the  signal, 
Captain  Rule  ;  let  the  Eyetalians  blaze  away." 

Raoul  could  not  see  the  water,  as  he  lay  with  his  head 
fairly  in  the  port ;  and  he  had  to  trust  entirely  to  the  single 
sense  of  hearing.  Knock,  knock,  knock  ;  the  boat  dropped 
slowly  along  the  ship's  side,  as  if  preparing  to  shove  ofH 
All  this,  Carlo  Giuntotardi  managed  exceedingly  well.  When 
he  lay  immediately  beneath  the  main-channels,  it  would  not 
have  been  an  easy  thing  to  see  his  boat,  even  had  there 
been  any  one  on  the  look-out.  Here  he  held  on ;  for  he 
was  not  so  lost  to  external  things,  as  not  fully  to  understand 
what  was  expected  of  him.  Perhaps  he  was  less  attended 
to,  by  those  on  deck,  from  the  circumstance  that  no  one 
believed  him  capable  of  so  much  worldly  care. 

"  Is  everything  safe  for  a  movement,  inboard  ?"  whis 
pered  Ithuel. 

Raoul  raised  his  head  and  looked  about  him.  That  a 
group  was  collected  around  the  state-room,  he  understood 
by  the  movements,  the  low  conversation,  and  the  suppressed 
laughter;  still,  no  one  seemed  to  be  paying  any  attention  to 
himself.  As  he  had  not  spoken  for  some  time,  however,  he 
thought  it  might  be  well  to  let  his  voice  be  heard ;  and, 
taking  care  that  it  should  sound  well  within  the  port,  he 
made  one  of  the  light  objections  to  the  vice-go vernatore's 
theory,  that  he  had  urged  at  the  commencement  of  the  con 
troversy.  This  was  little  heeded,  as  he  expected ;  but  it 
served  to  make  thotse  without  know  ihat  he  was  in  his  prison, 


348  LE      FEU-FOLLET. 

and  might  prevent  an  untimely  discovery.  Everything  rise 
seemed  propitious ;  and  laying  down  again,  ut  his  length, 
his  face  came  within  a  few  inches  of  Ithuel's. 

"  All  safe,"  he  whispered ;  "  what  would  you  have  mo 
do?" 

"  Nothing,  but  shove  yourself  ahead  carefully,  by  means 
of  your  feet." 

This  Raoul  did ;  at  first,  as  it  might  be,  inch  by  inch, 
until  Ithuel  put  the  end  of  a  rope  into  his  hands,  telling  him 
it  was  well  fast  to  the  channel  above.  The  rope  rendered 
the  rest  easy  ;  the  only  danger  now  being  of  too  much  pre 
cipitation.  Nothing  would  have  been  easier,  than  for  Raoul 
to  drag  his  body  out  at  the  port,  and  to  drop  into  the  boat ; 
but,  to  escape,  it  was  still  necessary  to  avoid  observation. 
The  ship  was  quite  half-a-league  from  the  point  of  Campa- 
nella,  and  directly  abreast  of  it ;  and  there  was  no  security 
to  the  fugitives  unless  they  got  some  distance  the  start  of 
any  pursuers.  This  consideration  induced  the  utmost  cau 
tion  on  the  part  of  Ithuel ;  nor  was  it  entirely  lost  on  his 
friend.  By  this  time,  however,  Raoul  found  he  was  so 
completely  master  of  his  movements,  as  to  be  able  to  swing 
his  legs  out  of  the  port,  by  a  very  trifling  effort ;  then  the 
descent  into  the  boat  would  be  the  easiest  thing  imaginable. 
But  a  pressure  from  the  hand  of  Ithuel  checked  him. 

"  Wait  a  little,"  whispered  the  latter,  "  till  the  Eyetalians 
are  at  it,  cat  and  dog  fashion." 

The  discussion  was  now  so  loud  and  warm,  that  it  was 
not  necessary  to  lose  much  time.  Ithuel  gave  the  signal, 
and  Raoul  dragged  his  head  and  shoulders  up  by  his  arms, 
while  he  placed  his  feet  against  the  gun ;  the  next  moment 
he  was  hanging  perpendicularly,  beneath  the  main-chains. 
To  drop  lightly  and  noiselessly  into  the  boat,  took  but  a 
second.  When  his  feet  touched  a  thwart,  he  found  that  the 
American  was  there  before  him.  The  latter  dragged  him 
down  to  his  side,  and  the  two  lay  concealed  in  the  bottom 
of  the  yawl,  with  a  cloak  of  Ghita's  thrown  over  their  per. 
sons.  Carlo  Giuntotardi  was  accustomed  to  the  manage 
ment  of  a  craft  like  that  in  which  he  now  found  himself; 
simply  releasing  his  boat-hook  from  one  of  the  chains,  the 
ship  passed  slowly  ahead,  leaving  him,  in  about  a  minute 
fairly  in  her  wake,  a  hundred  feet  astern. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  349 

k,o  far,  everything  had  succeeded  surprisingly.  The  night 
was  so  dark,  as  to  embolden  the  two  fugitives  now  to  rise, 
and  to  take  their  seats  on  the  thwarts  ;  though  all  this  wag 
done  with  exceeding  caution,  and  without  the  least  noise. 
The  oars  were  soon  out,  Carlo  took  the  tiller,  and  a  feeling 
of  exultation  glowed  at  the  heart  of  Raoul,  as  he  bent  to  his 
ashen  implement,  and  felt  the  boat  quiver  with  the  impulse. 

"  Take  it  coolly,  Captain  Rule,"  said  Ithuel,  in  a  low 
voice  ;  "  it 's  a  long-  pull,  and  we  are  still  within  ear-shot  of 
the  frigate.  In  five  minutes  more  we  shall  be  dropped  so 
far,  as  to  be  beyond  sight ;  then  we  may  pull  directly  oul 
to  sea,  if  we  wish." 

Just  then  the  bell  of  the  Proserpine  struck  four ;  the  signal 
it  was  eight  o'clock.  Immediately  after,  the  walch  was 
called,  and  a  stir  succeeded  in  the  ship. 

"  They  only  turn  the  hands  up,"  said  Raoul, 
that  his  companion  paused,  like  one  uneasy. 

"  That  is  an  uncommon  movement  for  shifting  the  watch  ! 
What  is  that  r 

It  was  clearly  the  overhauling  of  tackles ;  the  plash  of  a 
boat,  as  it  struck  the  water,  followed. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

"Our  dangers,  and  delights,  are  near  allies 

44  From  the  same  stem  the  rose  and  prickle  rise." 

ALLEYN. 

IT  has  been  seen  that  a  generous  sympathy  had  taken 
place  of  hostile  feeling,  as  respects  Raoul,  in  the  minds  01 
most  on  board  the  Proserpine.  Under  the  influence  of  this 
sentiment,  an  order  had  been  passed  through  the  sentries, 
not  to  molest  their  prisoner,  by  too  frequent  or  unnecessary 
an  examination  of  the  state-room.  With  a  view  to  a  proper 
regard  to  both  delicacy  and  watchfulness,  however,  Win 
chester  had  directed  that  the  angle  of  the  canvass  nearest 
the  cabin-door  lantern,  should  be  opened  a  few  inches,  and 
that  the  sentinel  should  look  in,  every  half-hour ;  or  as  often 
30 


350  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

as  the  ship's  bell  told  the. progress  of  time.  The  object 
watf  simply  to  be  certain  that  the  prisoner  was  in  his  room, 
and  that  he  was  making  no  attempt  on  his  own  life ;  a  step 
that  had  been  particularly  apprehended  previously  to  the 
respite.  Now,  the  whole  of  the  dispute  between  the  two 
Italians,  and  that  which  had  passed  beneath  the  ship's  chan 
nels,  did  not  occupy  but  six  or  seven  minutes ;  and  the 
little  cluster  of  officers  was  still  gaining  recruits,  when 
Raoul  was  fairly  in  the  yawl  of  his  own  lugger.  At  this 
moment  the  ship's  bell  struck  the  hour  of  half-past  seven. 
The  marine  advanced,  with  the  respect  of  a  subordinate, 
but  with  the  steadiness  of  a  man  on  post,  to  examine  the 
state-room.  Although  the  gentlemen  believed  this  caution 
unnecessary,  the  loud  voices  of  Andrea  and  Vito  Viti  being 
of  themselves  a  sort  of  guarantee  that  the  prisoner  was  in 
his  cage,  they  gave  way  to  a  man,  fully  understanding  that 
a  sentinel  was  never  to  be  resisted.  The  canvass  was  opened 
a  few  inches,  the  light  of  the  lantern  at  the  cabin-door  shot 
in,  and  there  sat  the  vice-governatore  and  the  podesta,  ges 
ticulating,  and  staring  into  each  other's  face,  still  in  hot 
dispute  ; — but  the  place  of  Raoul  Yvard  was  empty  ! 

Yelverton  happened  to  look  into  the  room  with  the  sen 
tinel.  He  was  a  young  man  of  strong  powers  of  percep 
tion,  with  all  the  phrenological  bumps  that  are  necessary  to 
the  character,  and  he  saw,  at  a  glance,  that  the  bird  had 
flown.  The  first  impression  was,  that  the  prisoner  had 
thrown  himself  into  the  sea,  and  he  rushed  on  deck,  without 
speaking  to  those  around  him,  made  a  hurried  statement  to 
the  officer  of  the  deck,  and  had  a  quarter-boat  in  the  water 
in  a  surprisingly  short  time.  His  astonished  companions 
below,  were  less  precipitate,  though  the  material  fact  was 
soon  known  to  them.  Griffin  gave  a  hasty  order,  and  the 
canvass  bulk-head  came  down,  as  it  might  be,  at  a  single 
jerk,  leaving  the  two  disputants  in  full  view,  utterly  uncon 
scious  of  the  escape  of  their  late  companion,  sputtering  and 
gesticulating,  furiously. 

"Halloo!  vice-governatore,"  cried  Griffin,  abruptly,  for 
he  saw  that  the  moment  was  not  one  for  ceremony  ;  "  what 
have  you  done  with  the  Frenchman?  —  where  is  Raoul 
Yvard  1" 

"II  Sigcor,  Sir  Smees?     Monsieur  Yvard,  if  you  will? 


LE     FE U- FOLL ET.  351 

Neighbour  Vito,  what,  indeed,  has  become  of  the  man  who 
so  lately  sat  there  ?" 

"  Cospetto ! — according  to  your  doctrine,  Signer  Andrea, 
there  never  was  a  man  there  at  all — only  the  imagination  of 
one  ;  it  is  not  surprising  that  such  a  being  should  be  missed. 
But,  I  protest  against  any  inferences  being  drawn  from  this 
accident.  All  Frenchmen  are  flighty  and  easily  carried 
away,  and  now  that  they  are  no  longer  ballasted  by  roli- 
gion,  they  are  so  many  moral  feathers.  No,  no  —  let  a 
man  of  respectable  information,  of  sound  principles,  and 
a  love  for  the  saints,  with  a  good,  substantial  body,  like 
myself,  vanish  only  once,  and  then  I  may  confess,  it  will  tell 
in  favour  of  your  logic,  vice-governatore." 

"  An  obstinate  man,  neighbour  Vito,  is  a  type  of  the  im 
perfections  that  a — " 

"  Your  pardon,  Signer  Barrofaldi," — interrupted  Griffin — 
"  this  is  not  a  moment  for  philosophical  theories,  but  for  us 
seamen  to  do  our  duty.  What  has  become  of  Raoul  Yvard 
— your  Sir  Smees?" 

"  Sigoor  Tenente,  as  I  hope  to  be  saved,  I  have  not  the 
smallest  idea  !  There  he  was,  a  minute  or  two  since,  seated 
by  that  cannon,  apparently  an  attentive  and  much  edified 
auditor  of  a  discussion  we  were  holding  on  the  celebrated 
theory  of  a  certain  bishop  of  y©ur  own  country ;  which 
theory,  rightly  considered — mind  I  say  rightly  considered, 
neighbour  Vito*;  for  the  view  you  have  taken  of  this  matter 
is—" 

"  Enough  of  this,  for  the  present,  Signori" — added  Griffin. 
"  The  Frenchman  was  in  this  place  when  you  came  here?" 

"  He  was,  Signer  Tenente,  and  seemed  greatly  to  enjoy 
the  discussion  in  which — " 

"  And  you  have  not  seen  him  quit  you — through  the  can 
vass,  or  the  port  ?" 

"  Not  I,  on  my  honour, —  I  did  suppose  him  too  much 
entertained  to  leave  us." 

"  Ah  !  Sir  Smees  has  just  vanished  into  the  imagination,'* 
growled  the  podesta,  "which  is  going  home  to  the  great 
logical  family  of  which  he  is  an  ideal  member!  There 
being  no  lugger,  no  corsair,  no  sea,  and  no  frigate,  it  seems 
to  me  that  we  are  all  making  a  stir  about  nothing." 

Griffin  did  not  stop  to  question  farther.     He  was  quickly 


352  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

on  deck,  where  he  found  Cuffe,  who  had  just  been  brought 
out  of  his  cabin  by  a  hurried  report. 

"  What  the  d 1  is  the  meaning  of  all  this,  gentlemen?" 

demanded  the  latter,  in  that  tone  which  a  commander  so 
naturally  assumes  when  things  go  wrong.  «'  Whoever  has 
suffered  the  prisoner  to  escape  may  expect  to  hear  from  the 
Admiral  directly,  on  the  subject." 

"He  is  not  in  his  state-room, sir,"  answered  Griffin,  "  and 
I  directed  the  boatswain  to  pipe  away  all  the  boats'-crews 
as  I  came  up  the  ladder." 

As  this  was  said,  boat  after  boat  was  falling,  and,  in  two 
or  three  minutes,  no  less  than  five  were  in  the  water,  includ 
ing  that  in  which  Yelverton  was  already  rowing  round  the 
ship  to  catch  the  presumed  swimmer,  or  drowning  man. 

"  The  Frenchman  is  gone,  sir,"  said  Winchester,  "  and  he 
must  have  passed  out  of  the  port.  I  have  sent  one  of  the 
gentlemen  to  examine  if  he  is  not  stowed  away  about  the 
chains." 

"  Where  is  the  boat  of  the  old  Italian  and  his  niece?" 

A  pause  succeeded  this  question,  and  light  broke  in  upon 
all  at  the  same  instant. 

"  That  yawl  was  alongside,"  cried  Griffin, — "  no  one 
was  in  her,  however,  but  Giuntotardi  and  the  girl " 

"  Beg  your  pardon,  sir,"  said  a  young  fore-top-man,  who 
had  just  descended  the  rigging, — "  I  saw  the  ^oat  from  aloft 
sir,  and  it  hung  some  time,  sir,  under  the  starboard  main- 
chains. — It  is  so  dark  I  couldn't  fairly  make  it  out ;  but 
summat  seemed  to  be  passed  into  it,  from  a  port.  I  didn'f 
like  the  look  of  the  thing,  and  so  our  captain  just  told  me  to 
come  on  deck  and  report  it,  sir." 

"  Send  Ithuel  Bolt  here,  Mr.  Winchester — bear  a  hand, 
sir,  and  let  us  have  a  look  at  that  gentleman." 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  call  was  unanswered ;  and 
then  all  on  board  began  to  understand  the  mode  of  the 
escape.  Officers  rushed  into  the  several  boats,  and  no  less 
than  five  different  parties  commenced  the  pursuit.  At  the 
same  time  the  ship  hoisted  a  lantern,  as  a  signal  for  the  boats 
to  rally  to. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  Proserpine,  when  this  incident 
occurred,  was  off  the  point  of  the  Campanella,  distant  about 
half  a  marine  league.  The  wind  was  light  at  cast,  or  was  whal 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  353 

is  called  the  land  breeze,  and  the  vessel  had  ahout  three 
knots  way  on  her.  The  head-land  was  nearly  abeam,  and 
she  was  looking  up  through  the  pass  which  separates  Capri 
from  the  main,  hauling  round  into  the  Bay  of  Naples  ;  in 
tending  to  anchor  in  the  berth  she  had  left  the  previous  day. 
The  night  was  too  dark  to  permit  an  object  small  as  a  boat 
to  be  seen  at  any  distance,  but  the  black  mass  of  Capri  was 
plainly  visible  in  its  outlines,  towering  into  the  air  near  two 
thousand  feet;  while  the  formation  of  the  coast  on  the  other 
side,  might  be  traced  with  tolerable  certainty  and  distinct 
ness.  Such  was  the  state  of  things  when  the  five  boats 
mentioned  quitted  the  ship. 

Yelverton  had  acted  as  if  a  man  were  overboard  ;  or,  he 
had  not  waited  for  orders.  While  pulling  round  the  ship 
alone,  he  caught  sight,  though  very  dimly,  of  the  yawl,  as 
it  moved  in  towards  the  land,  and  without  communicating 
with  any  on  board,  the  truth  flashed  on  his  mind  also,  and 
he  gave  chase.  When  the  other  boats  were  ready,  the  two 
that  were  on  the  outside  of  the  ship  pulled  off  to  seaward  a 
short  distance,  to  look  about  them  in  that  direction ;  while 
the  two  others,  hearing  the  oars  of  the  light  gig,  in  which 
Yelverton  was  glancing  ahead,  followed  the  sound,  under 
the  impression  that  they  were  in  pursuit  of  the  yawl.  Such 
was  the  state  of  things  at  the  commencement  of  an  exceed 
ingly  vigorous  and  hot  pursuit. 

As  Raoul  and  Ithuel  had  been  at  work,  while  time  was 
lost  in  doubt  in  and  around  the  ship,  they  had  got  about 
three  hundred  yards  the  start  of  even  Yelverton.  Their 
boat  pulled  unusually  well,  and  being  intended  for  only  two 
oars,  it  might  be  deemed  full  manned,  with  two  as  vigorous 
hands  in  it  as  those  it  had.  Still  it  was  not  a  match  for  the 
second  gig,  and  the  four  chosen  men  who  composed  its  crew, 
which  was  the  boat  taken  by  Yelverton,  in  the  hurry  of  the 
moment.  In  a  pull  of  a  mile  and  a  half,  the  yawl  was  cer 
tain  to  be  overtaken,  and  the  practised  ears  of  Raoul  soon 
assured  him  of  the  fact.  His  own  oars  were  muffled.  He 
determined  to  profit  by  the  circumstance,  and  turn  aside,  in 
the  hope  that  his  fleet  pursuers  would  pass  him  unseen.  A 
sheer  was  accordingly  given  to  the  boat,  and  instead  of  pull 
ing  directly  towards  the  land,  the  fugitives  inclined  to  the 
westward ;  the  sea  appearing  the  most  obscure  in  that 
30  * 


354  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

direction,  on  account  of  the  proximity  of  Capri.  This  arti 
fice  was  completely  successful.  Yelverton  was  so  eager  in 
the  chase,  that  he  kept  his  eyes  riveted  before  him,  iancy- 
ing,  from  time  to  time,  that  he  saw  the  boat  ahead,  and  lie 
passed  within  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  yawl,  without 
in  the  least  suspecting  her  vicinity.  Raoul  and  Ithuel  ceased 
rowing,  to  permit  this  exchange  of  position,  and  the  former 
had  a  lew  sarcastic  remarks  on  the  stupidity  of  his  enemies, 
as  some  relief  to  the  feelings  of  the  moment.  None  of  the 
English  had  muffled  oars.  On  the  contrary,  the  sounds  of  the 
regular  man-of-war  jerks  were  quite  audible  in  every  direc 
tion  ;  but  so  familiar  were  they  to  the  ears  of  the  Proserpines, 
that  the  crews  of  the  two  boats  that  came  next  after  Yelver 
ton,  actually  followed  the  sounds  of  his  oars,  under  the 
belief  that  they  were  in  the  wake  of  the  fugitives.  In  this 
manner,  then,  Raoul  suffered  three  of  the  five  boats  to  pass 
ahead  of  him.  The  remaining  two  were  so  distant  as  not 
to  be  heard,  and  when  those  in  advance  were  sufficiently  in 
advance,  he  and  Ithuel  followed  them,  with  a  leisurely  stroke, 
reserving  themselves  for  any  emergency  that  might  occur. 

It  was  a  fair  race  between  the  gig  and  the  two  cutters 
that  pursued  her.  The  last  had  the  sounds  of  the  former's 
oars  in  the  ears  of  their  crews  to  urge  them  to  exertion  ;  it 
being  supposed  they  came  from  the  strokes  of  the  pursued, 
while  Yelverton  was  burning  with  the  desire  to  outstrip 
those  who  followed,  and  to  secure  the  prize  for  himself. 
This  made  easy  work  for  those  in  the  yawl,  which  was  soon 
left  more  than  a  cable's-Iength  astern. 

"One  would  think,  Ghita,"  said  Raoul,  laughing,  though 
he  had  the  precaution  to  speak  in  an  under-tone — "  one 
would  think  that  your  old  friends,  the  vice-governatore  and 
the  podesta,  commanded  the  boats  in-shore  of  us,  were  it  not 
known  that  they  are  this  very  moment  quarrelling  about  the 
fact,  whether  there  is  such  a  place  as  Elba  on  this  great 
planet  of  ours,  or  not." 

"  Ah  !  Ra'oul,  remember  the  last  dreadful  eight-and-forty 
hours !  do  not  stop  to  trifle,  until  we  are  once  more  fairly 
beyond  the  power  of  your  enemies." 

"  Peste!  —  I  shall  be  obliged  to  own,  hereafter,  that  there 
is  some  generosity  in  an  Englishman.  I  cannot  deny  their 
treatment,  and  yet  I  had  rather  it.  had  been  more  ferocious." 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  355 

"  This  is  an  unkind  feeling ;  you  should  strive  to  tear  it 
from  your  heart." 

"  It 's  a  great  deal  to  allow  to  an  Englishman,  Captain 
Rule,  to  allow  him  gineros'ty,"  interrupted  Ithucl.  "  They  're 
a  fierce  race,  and  fatten  on  mortal  misery." 

44  Mais,  bon  Etooelle,  your  back  has  escaped  this  time; 
you  ought  to  be  thankful." 

"  They  're  short-handed,  and  didn't  like  to  cripple  a  top- 
man,"  answered  he  of  the  Granite  state,  unwilling  to  con 
cede  anything  to  liberal  or  just  sentiments.  "  Had  the 
ship's  complement  been  full,  they  wouldn't  have  left  as 
much  skin  on  my  back  as  would  cover  the  smallest-sized 
pin-cushion.  I  owe  'em  no  thanks,  therefore." 

"  Bien ;  quant  a  moi,  I  shall  speak  well  of  the  bridge 
which  carries  me  over,"  said  Raoul.  "  Monsieur  Cuffe  has 
given  me  good  food,  good  wine,  good  words,  a  good  state 
room,  a  good  bed,  and  a  most  timely  reprieve." 

"  Is  not  your  heart  grateful  to  God  for  the  last,  dear 
Raoul  I"  asked  Ghita,  in  a  voice  so  gentle  and  tender,  that 
the  young  man  could  have  bowed  down  and  worshipped  her. 

After  a  pause,  however,  he  answered,  as  if  intentionally 
to  avoid  the  question  by  levity. 

"  I  forgot  the  philosophy,  too,"  he  said.  That  was  no 
small  part  of  the  good  cheer.  Ciel !  it  was  worth  some  risk 
to  have  the  advantage  of  attending  such  a  school.  Did  you 
understand  the  matter  in  dispute  between  the  two  Italians, 
brave  Etooelle?" 

"  I  heerd  their  Ifye-talian  jabber,"  answered  Ithuel ;  "but 
supposed  it  was  all  about  saints'  days,  and  eating  fish.  No 
reasonable  man  makes  so  much  noise  when  he  is  talking 
senso." 

"  Pardie — it  was  philosophy  !  They  laugh  at  us  French 
for  living  by  the  rules  of  reason,  rather  than  those  of  preju 
dice  ;  and  then  to  hear  what  they  call  philosophy !  You 
would  scarce  think  it,  Ghita,"  continued  Raoul,  who  was 
now  light  of  heart,  and  full  of  the  scene  he  had  so  recently 
witnessed — "  you  would  hardly  think  it,  Ghita,  but  Signer 
Andrea,  sensible  and  learned  as  he  is,  maintained  that  it 
was  not  folly  to  believe  in  a  philosophy  which  teaches  that 
nothing  we  see  or  do  actually  exists,  but  that  everything 
was  mere  seeming.  In  short,  that  we  live  in  an  imaginary 


356  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

world,  with  imaginary  people  in  it;  float  on  an  imaginary 
sea,  and  cruise  in  imaginary  ships." 

"  And  was  all  that  noise  about  an  idee,  Captain  Rule?" 

"  Si — but  men  will  quarrel  about  an  idea — an  imaginary 
thing,  Etooelle,  as  stoutly  as  about  substantial.  Hist ! 
They  will  chase  imaginary  things,  too,  as  are  the  boats 
ahead  of  us  at  this  moment." 

"  There  are  others  following  us,"  observed  Carlo  Giunto- 
tardi,  who  was  more  alive  to  surrounding  objects  than  com 
mon  ;  and  who,  from  his  habitual  silence,  often  heard  that 
which  escaped  the  senses  of  others.  "  I  have  noticed  the 
sound  of  their  oars  some  time." 

This  produced  a  pause,  and  even  a  cessation  in  the  row 
ing,  in  order  that  the  two  seamen  might  listen.  Sure 
enough,  the  sound  of  oars  was  audible  outside,  as  well  as 
in-shore,  leaving  no  doubt  that  some  pursuers  were  still 
behind  them.  This  was  bringing  the  fugitives  between  two 
fires,  as  it  might  be;  and  Ithuel  proposed  pulling  off  at  right 
angles  to  the  course  again,  in  order  to  get  into  the  rear  of 
the  whole  party.  But  to  this,  Raoul  objected.  He  thought 
the  boats  astern  were  still  so  distant  as  to  enable  them  to 
reach  the  shore  in  time  to  escape.  Once  on  the  rocks, 
there  could  be  little  danger  of  being  overtaken  in  the  dark 
ness.  Still,  as  it  was  a  first  object  with  Raoul  to  rejoin  his 
lugger  as  soon  as  possible,  after  landing  Ghita,  he  did  not 
wish  to  place  his  boat  in  any  situation  of  much  risk.  This 
induced  some  deliberation ;  and  it  was  finaHy  determined  to 
take  a  middle  course,  by  steering  into  the  pass  between 
Capri  and  Campanella,  in  the  expectation  that,  when  the 
leading  English  boats  reached  the  point  of  the  latter,  they 
would  abandon  the  pursuit  as  hopeless,  and  return  to  the 
ship. 

"  We  can  land  you,  dearest  Ghita,  at  the  Marina  Grande 
of  Sorrento ;  then  your  walk  to  St.  Agata  will  be  neither 
iong  nor  painful." 

"  Do  not.  mind  me,  Raoul ;  put  me  on  the  land  at  the 
nearest  place,  and  go  you  to  your  vessel.  God  has  relieved 
you  from  this  great  jeopardy,  and  your  duty  is  to  strive  to 
act  as  it  is  evident  he  intends  you  to  do.  As  for  me,  leagues 
will  be  light,  if  I  can  only  be'  satisfied  that  thou  art  in 
safety." 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  357 

"  Angel !  —  Thou  never  thinkest  of  self!  But  not  a  foot 
this  side  of  Sorrento  will  I  quit  thee.  We  can  pull  thither 
in  an  hour  or  two  ;  then  I  shall  feel  that  I  have  done  a  duty. 
Once  ashore,  Etooelle  and  I  can  set  our  little  sail,  and  will 
run  out  to  sea  between  the  two  islands.  No  fear  but  what 
we  can  do  that,  with  this  land  breeze ;  after  which,  a  few 
rockets  burned,  will  tell  us  where  to  find  le  Feu-Follel." 

Ghita  again  remonstrated,  but  in  vain.  Raoul  persisted, 
and  she  was  obliged  to  submit.  The  conversation  now 
ceased ;  the  two  men  plying  the  oars  diligently,  and  to  good 
effect.  Occasionally  they  ceased,  and  listened  to  the. sounds 
of  the  oars  in  the  frigate's  boats,  all  which  were  evidently 
collecting  in  the  vicinity  of  the  point  or  cape.  By  this  time, 
the  yawl  had  the  extremity  of  the  land  abeam,  and  it  soon 
passed  so  far  into  the  Bay,  as  to  bring  most,  if  not  all,  of 
the  pursuers  astern.  In  the  darkness,  with  no  other  guida 
than  the  sounds  mentioned,  and  with  so  many  pursuers, 
there  was  some  uncertainty,  of  course,  as  to  the  position  of 
all  the  boats  ;  but  there  was  little  doubt  that  most  of  them 
were  now  somewhere  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Campa- 
nella.  As  Raoul  gave  this  point  a  good  berth,  and  his  own 
progress  was  noiseless,  this  was  bringing  himself  and  com 
panions,  after  their  recent  dangers,  into  comparative 
security. 

More  than  an  hour  of  steady  rowing  followed,  during 
which  time  the  yawl  was  making  swift  way  towards  the 
Marina  Grande  of  Sorrento.  After  passing  Massa,  Raoul 
felt  no  further  uneasiness,  and  he  requested  Carlo  Giunto- 
tardi  to  sheer  in  towards  the  land,  where  less,  resistance  from 
the  breeze  was  met  with,  and  where  it  was  also  easier  to 
know  the  precise  position.  Apprehension  of  the  boats  now 
ceased,  though  Ithuel  fancied,  from  time  to  time,  that  he 
heard  smothered  sounds,  like  those  of  oars  imperfectly  muf 
fled.  Raoul  laughed  at  his  conceits  and  apprehensions,  and, 
to  confess  the  truth,  he  became  negligent  of  his  duty,  af>ain, 
in  the  soothing  delight  of  finding  himself,  once  more,  free,  in 
all  but  heart,  in  the  company  of  Ghita.  In  this  manner 
the  yawl  moved  ahead,  though  with  materially  diminished 
speed,  until,  by  the  formation  of  the  heights,  and  the  appear 
ance  of  the  lamps  and  candles  on  the  piano,  Ghita  kne\\ 


358  LE     FETJ-FOfcLET. 

that  they  were  drawing  quite  near  to  the  indentation  of  the 
coast  on  which  is  situate  the  town  of  Sorrento. 

"  As  soon  as  my  uncle  and  myself  have  landed  at  the 
Marina  Grande,  Raoul,"  said  Ghita,  "  thou  and  the  Ameri 
can  will  be  certain  to  seek  thy  lugger ;  then  thou  promises! 
to  quit  the  coast?" 

"  Why  ask  promises  of  one  that  thou  dost  not  sufficiently 
respect  to  think  he  will  keep  them  ?" 

"  I  do  not  deserve  this,  Raoul ;  between  thee  and  me,  no 
promise  has  ever  been  broken." 

"  It  js  not  easy  to  break  vows  with  one  who  will  neither 
give  nor  accept  them.  I  cannot  boast  of  keeping  such  idle 
laith  as  this  !  Go  with  me  before  some  priest,  Ghita,  ask 
all  that  man  ever  has  or  can  swear  .to,  and  then  thou  shall 
see  how  a  sailor  can  be  true  to  his  vow." 

"  And  why  before  a  priest  ?  Thou  know'st,  Raoul,  that, 
in  thine  eyes,  all  the  offices  of  the  church  are  mummery; 
that  nothing  is  more  sacred,  with  thee,  for  being  sworn  to  at 
the  altar  of  God,  and  with  one  of  his  holy  ministers  for  a 
witness !" 

"  Every  oath  or  promise  made  to  thee,  Ghita,  is  sacred, 
in  my  eyes.  It  wanteth  not  any  witness,  or  any  consecrated 
place,  to  make  it  more  binding  than  thy  truth  and  tenderness 
can  insure.  Thou  art  my  priest — my  altar — my — " 

"Forbear!"  exclaimed  Ghita,  in  alarm,  lest  he  should 
utter  the  name  of  that  holy  Being  towards  whom  her  heart 
was  even  at  that  moment  swelling  with  gratitude  for  iiis  own 
recent  escape  from  death.  "  Thou  know'st  not  the  meaning 
of  thine  owr?  words,  and  mightst  add  that  which  would  give 
me  more  pain  than  I  can  express." 

"  Boat,  ahoy  !"  cried  a  deep,  nautical  voice,  within  twenty 
yards  of  them,  and  in-shore  ;  the  hail  coming  in  the  sudden, 
quick  demand  that  distinguishes  the  call  of  a  man-of-war's- 
man. 

A  pause  of  half  a  minute  succeeded,  for  they  in  the  yawl 
were  completely  taken  by  surprise. 

At  Icn^'.h  Ithuel,  who  felt  the  necessity  of  saying  some- 
thing,  if  he  would  not  bring  the  stranger  close  alongside  of 
them,  answered  in  the  customary  manner  of  the  Italians. 

Clinch,  for  it  was  he,  scouring  the  shore  in  quest  of  the 
ijgger,  on  his  way  back  to  the  Proserpine,  gave  a  growl, 


LB     FEU-FOLLET.  359 

#hen  he  found  that  he  must  speak  in  a  foreign  tongue,  if  he 
would  continue  the  discourse ;  then  he  mustered  all  the 
Italian  of  which  he  was  master  for  the  occasion.  Having 
cruised  long  on  the  station,  this  was  sufficient,  however,  for 
his.  present  purpose. 

"  Is  that  a  hoat  from  Massa  or  from  Capri  ?"  he  inquired 

"  Neither,  S'nore,"  answered  Raoul,  afraid  to  trust  Carlo's 
conscience  with  the  management  of  such  a  dialogue.  "  We 
come  round  the  cape,  from  St.  Agata,  and  carry  figs  to 
Napoli." 

u  St.  Agata !  ay,  that  is  the  village  on  the  heights  ;  1 
passed  a  night  there,  myself,  in  the  house  of  one  Maria 
Giuntotardi — " 

"  Who  can  this  be  ?"  murmured  Ghita — "  my  aunt  knows 
no  forestieri !" 

"  An  Inglese,  by  his  thick  speech  and  accent.  I  hope  he 
will  not  ask  for  figs  for  his  supper !" 

Clinch  was  thinking  of  other  things,  at  that  moment ;  and 
when  he  continued,  it  was  to  follow  the  train  of  his  own 
thoughts. 

*'  Have  you  seen  anything  of  a  barone-looking  lugger," 
he  asked,  "  French-rigged,  and  French  manned,  skulking 
anywhere  about  this  coast?" 

"  Si — she  went  north,  into  the  Gulf  of  Gaeta,  just  as  the 
sun  was  setting,  and  is,  no  doubt,  gone  to  anchor  under  the 
cannon  of  her  countrymen." 

"If  she  has,  she'll  find  herself  in  hot  water,"  answered 
Clinch,  in  English.  "We've  craft  enough,  up  there,  to 
hoist  her  in  and  dub  her  down  to  a  jolly-boat's  size,  in  a 
single  watch.  Did  you  see  anything  of  a  frigate,  this  even 
ing,  near  the  Point  of  Campanella? — An  Inglese,  I  mean  ;  a 
tight  six-and-thirty,  with  three  new  topsails." 

"  Si — the  light  you  see,  here,  just  in  a  range  with  Capri, 
is  at  her  gaff;  we  have  seen  her  the  whole  afternoon  and 
evening.  In  fact,  she  towed  us  kindly  round  the  cape,  until 
we  got  fairly  into  this  Bay." 

"  Then  you  are  the  people  for  me ! — Was  there  a  man 
hanged  on  board  her  or  not,  about  sunset  ?" 

This  question  was  put  with  so  much  interest,  that  Raoul 
cursed  his  interrogator,  in  his  heart ;  imagining  that  he  was 


360  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

burning  with  the  wish  to  learn  his  own  execution.  He  was 
also  now  aware  that  this  was  the  boat  which  had  left  the 
Proserpine  about  noon. 

"  I  can  tell  you  there  was  not,  s'nore — if  that  will  gladden 
your  heart.  A  man  was  all  ready  to  be  hanged,  wjien 
Capitaine  Cuffe  was  pleased  to  order  him  taken  down." 

"  Just  as  three  heavy  guns  were  fired  up  at  town — was  it 
not  so?"  Clinch  eagerly  inquired. 

"  Diable !  this  man  may  have  been  my  preserver,  after 
all ! — You  say  true,  s'nore  ;  it  was  just  as  three  guns  were 
fired  up  at  Naples,  though  I  did  not  know  those  guns  had 
anything  to  do  with  the  intended  execution.  Can  you  tell 
me  if  they  had  ?" 

"  If  they  had  !  — Why  I  touched  them  off  with  my  own 
hands  ;  they  were  signals  made  by  the  admiral  to  spare 
poor  Raoul  Yvard,  for  a  few  days,  at  least.  I  am  rejoiced 
to  hear  that  all  my  great  efforts  to  reach  the  fleet  were  not 
in  vain.  I  don't  like  this  hanging,  Mr.  Italian." 

"  S'nore,  you  show  a  kind  heart,  and  will  one  day  reap 
the  reward  of  such  generous  feelings.  I  wish  I  knew  the 
name  of  so  humane  a  gentleman,  that  I  might  mention  him 
in  my  prayers." 

"  They  '11  never  fancy  that  Captain  Rule  said  that"  mut 
tered  Ithuel,  grinning. 

"  As  for  my  name,  friend,  it 's  no  great  matter.  They 
call  me  Clinch,  which  is  a  good  fast  word  to  sail  under,  too ; 
but  it  has  no  handle  to  it,  other  than  of  a  poor  devil  of  a 
master's-mate ;  and  that,  too,  a»t  an  age  when  some  men 
carry  broad-pennants." 

This  was  said  bitterly,  and  in  English  ;  when  uttered,  the 
supposed  Italian  was  wished  a  "  buona  sera,"  and  the  gig 
proceeded. 

"That  is  un  brave"  said  Raoul,  with  emphasis,  as  they 
parted.  "  If  ever  I  meet  with  Monsieur  Cleench,  he  will 
learn  that  I  do  not  forget  his  good  wishes.  Peste  !  if  there 
were  a  hundred  such  men  in  the  British  marine,  Etooelle, 
we  might  love  it." 

"  They  're  fiery  sarpents,  Captain  Rule,  and  not  to  he 
trusted,  any  on  'em.  As  for  fine  words,  I  might  have  fan 
cied  myself  a  cousin  of  the  king's,  if  I 'd  cnly  put  my  namo 

their  shipping  articles.     This  Mr.  Clinch  is  we1 1  eaough, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  361 

in  the  main  ;  being  nis  own  worst  inimy,  in  the  way  of  the 
grog  pitcher  " 

'•  Boat,  ahoy  !"  shouted  Clinch  again,  now  about  a  hundred 
yards  distant,  having  passed  towards  the  cape.  Raoul  and 
Ithuel  mechanically  ceased  rowing,  under  the  impression 
that  the  master's-mate  had  still  something  to  communicate. 

"Boat,  ahoy! — Answer  at  once,  or  you'll  hear  from 
me,"  repeated  Clinch. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  answered  another  voice,  which,  in  fact,  was 
Yelverton's  ;  "  Clinch,  is  that  you  ?" 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir — Mr.  Yelverton,  is  it  not  1 — I  think  I  know 
the  voice,  sir." 

**  You  are  quite  right;  but  make  less  noise — who  was 
that  you  hailed,  a  minute  or  two  since?" 

Clinch  began  to  answer;  but,  as  the  two  gigs  were 
approaching  each  other  all  the  time,  they  were  soon  so  near 
as  to  render  it  unnecessary  to  speak  loud  enough  to  be 
heard  at  any  distance.  All  this  time,  Raoul  and  Ithuel  lay 
on  their  oars,  almost  afraid  to  stir  the  water,  and  listening 
with  an  attention  that  was  nearly  breathless.  They  were 
satisfied  that  the  oars  of  the  English  were  now  muffled ;  a 
sign  that  they  were  in  earnest  in  the  pursuit,  and  bent  on 
making  a  thorough  search.  The  two  gigs  could  not  be  more 
than  a  hundred  yards  from  the  yawl,  and  Ithuel  knew  that 
they  were  the  two  fastest-rowing  boats  of  the  English  fleet — 
so  fast,  indeed,  that  Cuffe  and  his  lieutenants  had  made 
several  successful  matches  with  them,  against  the  officers  of 
different  vessels. 

"  Hist !"  said  Ghita,  whose  heart  was  in  her  mouth. 
«  Oh  !  Raoul,  they  come  !" 

Coming,  indeed,  were  they ;  and  that  with  vast  velocity. 
So  careful,  however,  was  the  stroke,  that  they  were  within 
two  hundred  feet  of  the  yawl,  before  Raoul  and  his  com 
panion  took  the  alarm,  and  plunged  their  own  oars  again 
into  the  water.  Then,  indeed,  the  gigs  might  be  dimly  seen; 
though  the  shadows  of  the  land  deepened  the  obscurity  of 
night  so  far,  as  to  render  objects  at  even  a  less  distance 
quite  indistinct.  The  suddenness  and  imminency  of  the 
danger  appeared  to  arouse  all  there  was  of  life  in  Carlo 
Giuntotardi.  He  steered,  and  steered  well,  being  accus 
tomed  to  the  office,  by  living  so  long  on  the  coast ;  and  he 
31 


362  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

sheered  in  for  the  rocks,  with  the  double  view  of  landing,  if 
necessary,  and  of  getting  still  deeper  within  the  shadows. 

It  was  soon  evident  the  English  gained.  Four  oars 
against  two  were  fearful  odds ;  and  it  was  plainly  apparent 
the  yawl  must  be  overtaken. 

"  Oh  !  uncle,  towards  the  arch  and  water-cavern  of  the 
point,"  whispered  Ghita,  whose  hands  were  clasped  on  her 
breast,  as  if  to  keep  down  her  emotions.  "  That  may  yet 
save  him !" 

The  yawl  was  in  the  act  of  whirling  round  the  rocks, 
which  form  the  deep  cove,  on  which  the  Marina  Grande  of 
Sorrento  lies.  Carlo  caught  his  niece's  idea,  and  he  kepi 
his  tiller  hard  a-port ;  telling  Raoul  and  Ithuel,  at  the  same 
time,  to  take  in  their  oars,  as  quick  as  possible.  The  men 
obeyed,  supposing  it  was  the  intention  to  land,  and  take  to 
the  heights  for  shelter.  But  just  as  they  supposed  the  boat 
was  about  to  strike  against  some  perpendicular  rocks,  and 
Raoul  was  muttering  his  surprise  that  such  a  spot  should  be 
chosen  to  land  at,  it  glided  through  a  low  natural  arch,  and 
entered  a  little  basin,  as  noiselessly  as  a  bubble  floating  in  a 
current.  The  next  minute,  the  two  gigs  came  whirling 
round  the  rocks  ;  one  following  the  shore,  close  in,  to  prevent 
the  fugitives  from  landing,  and  the  other  steering  more 
obliquely  athwart  the  bay.  In  still  another  minute,  they 
had  passed  a  hundred  yards  ahead,  and  the  sound  of  their 
movements  was  lost. 


CHAPTER  XXY. 

"And  chiefly  thou,  O  spirit,  that  dost  prefer, 
Before  all  temples,  the  upright  heart  and  pure, 
Instruct  me ;  for  thou  know'st." 

MILTON. 

THE  spot  in  which  Carlo  Giuntotardi  had  taken  refuge, 
is  well  known  on  the  Sorrentine  shore,  as  the  water-cavern, 
at  the  ruins  of  Queen  Joan's  country-house.  Cavern  it  is 


LE     PEU-POLLET.  363 

not,  though  the  entrance  is  beneath  a  low,  natural  arch  ; 
the  basin  within  being  open  to  the  heavens,  and  the  place 
resembling  an  artificial  excavation,  made  to  shelter  boats  in ; 
profiting  by  the  natural  passage  to  obtain  an  entrance.  Let 
the  origin  of  this  little  haven  be  what  it  may,  art  could  not 
have  devised*  a  more  convenient,  or  a  more  perfect  refuge 
than  it  afforded  to  our  fugitives  at  a  most  critical  moment. 
Once  through  the  arch,  the  boat  would  have  been  effectually 
concealed  from  her  pursuers,  under  a  noon-day  sun ;  nor 
would  any,  who  were  unacquainted  with  the  peculiarities  of 
the  entrance,  dream  of  a  boat's  lying,  as  it  might  be,  buried 
in  the  rocks  of  the  little  promontory.  Neither  Ghita  nor 
her  uncle  any  longer  felt  concern  ;  but,  the  former  an 
nounced  her  intention  to  land  here,  assuring  Raoul  that  she 
could  easily  find  her  way  into  the  bridle-path  which  leads  to 
St.  Agata. 

The  desperate  character  of  the  recent  chase,  aided  by  his 
late  almost  miraculous  escape  from  death,  joined  to  the 
necessity  of  parting  from  his  mistress,  rendered  our  hero 
melancholy,  if  not  moody.  He  could  not  ask  Ghita  to  share 
his  dangers  any  longer  ;  and  yet  he  felt,  if  he  permitted  her 
now  to  quit  him,  the  separation  might  be  for  ever.  Still  he 
made  no  objection  ;  but,  leaving  Ithuel  in  charge  of  the  boat, 
he  assisted  Ghita  up  the  funnel-like  sides  of  the  basin,  and 
prepared  to  accompany  her  on  her  way  to  the  road.  Carlo 
preceded  the  pair  ;  telling  his  niece  that  she  would  find  him 
at  a  cottage  on  the  way,  that  was  well  known  to  both. 

The  obscurity  was  not  so  great  as  to  render  the  walking 
very  difficult ;  and  Raoul  and  Ghita  pursued  their  course 
slowly  along  the  rocks,  each  oppressed  with  the  same  sen 
sation  of  regret  at  parting,  though  influenced  by  nearly 
opposing  views  for  the  future.  The  girl  took  the  young 
man's  arm  without  hesitation ;  and  there  was  a  tenderness 
in  the  tones  of  her  voice,  as  well  as  in  her  general  manner, 
that  betrayed  how  nearly  her  heart  was  interested  in  what 
was  passing.  Still,  principle  was  over  uppermost  in  her 
thoughts ;  and  she  determined,  now,  to  speak  plainly,  and 
to  the  purpose. 

"  Raoul,"  she  said,  after  listening  to  some  one  of  those  fer. 
vent  declarations  of  love  that  were  peculiarly  agreeable  to  one 
of  her  affectionate  and  sincere  nature,  even  when  she  most  felt 


364 


LE     FEU-FOLLET. 


the  necessity  of  repelling  the  insinuating  suit ;  "  there  must 
be  an  end  of  this.  I  can  never  go  through,  again,  the  scenes 
1  have  lately  witnessed,  nor  allow  you  to  ran  such  fearful 
risks.  The  sooner  we  understand  each  other,  and  I  may- 
say,  the  sooner  we  part,  it  will  be  the  wiser,  and  the  better 
for  the  interests  of  both.  I  blame  myself,  for' suffering  the 
intimacy  to  last  so  long,  and  for  proceeding  so  far." 

"  And  this  is  said  by  a  fervent-souled  Italian  girl ! — One 
of  eighteen  years ; — who  comes  of  a  region  in  which  it  is 
the  boast,  that  the  heart  is  even  warmer  than  the  sun  ;  of  a 
race,  among  whom  it  is  hard  to  find  one — oui,  even  a  poor 
one  —  who  is  not  ready  to  sacrifice  home,  country,  hopes, 
fortune,  nay,  life  itself,  to  give  happiness  to  the  man  who 
has  chosen  her  from  all  the  rest  of  her  sex." 

"  It  would  seem  to  me  easy  to  do  all  this,  Raoul.  Si — I 
think  I  could  sacrifice  everything  you  have  named,  to  make 
you  happy !  Home  I  have  not,  unless  the  Prince's  Towers 
can  thus  be  called  ;  country,  since  the  sad  event  of  this  week, 
I  feel  as  if  I  had  altogether  lost ;  of  hopes,  I  have  few  in  this 
world,  with  which  your  image  has  not  been  connected  ;  but, 
those  which  were  once  so  precious  to  me,  are  now,  I  fear, 
lost ;  you  know  I  have  no  fortune,  to  tempt  me  to  stay,  or 
you  to  follow ;  as  for  my  life,  I  fear  it  will  soon  be  very 
valueless — am  sure  it  will  be  miserable." 

"  Then  why  not  decide  at  once,  dearest  Ghita,  to  throw 
the  weight  of  your  sorrows  on  the  shoulders  of  one  strong 
enough  to  bear  them?  You  care  not  for  dress,  or  gay  ap 
pearances,  and  can  take  a  bridegroom  even  with  the  misera 
ble  aspect  of  a  lazzarone,  when  you  know  the  heart  is  right. 
You  will  not  despise  me  because  I  am  not  decked  as  I  might 
be  for  the  bridal.  Nothing  is  easier  than  to  find  an  altar 
and  a  priest  among  these  monasteries  ;  and  the  hour  for 
saying  mass  is  not  very  distant.  Give  me  a  ri^ht  to  claim 
you,  and  I  will  appoint  a  place  of  rendezvous,  bring  in  the 
lugger  to-morrow  night,  and  carry  you  off  in  triumph  to  our 
gay  Provence ;  where  you  will  find  hearts  gentle  as  your 
own,  to  welcome  you  with  joy,  and  call  you  sister." 

Raoul  was  earnest  m  his  manner,  and  it  was  not  possible 
to  doubt  his  sincerity  Though  an  air  of  self-satisfaction 
gleamed  in  his  face,  when  he  alluded  to  his  present  personal 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  365 

appearance,  for  he  well  knew  all  his  advantages  in  that  way, 
in  spile  of  the  dress  of  a  lazzarone. 

"  Urge  me  not,  dear  Raoul,"  Ghita  answered,  though, 
unconsciously  to  herself,  she  pressed  closer  to  his  side,  and 
both  sadness  and  love  were  in  the  very  tones  of  her  voice; 
"  urge  me  not,  dear  Raoul ;  this  can  never  be.  I  have 
already  told  you  the  gulf  that  lies  between  us ;  you  will  not 
cross  it,  to  join  me,  and  I  cannot  cross  it,  to  join  you. 
Nothing  but  that  could  separate  us  ;  but  that,  to  my  eyes, 
grows  broader  and  deeper  every  hour." 

"  Ah,  Ghita,  thou  deceivest  me,  and  thyself.  Were  thy 
feelings  as  thou  fanciest,  no  human  inducement  could  lead 
thee  to  reject  me." 

"  It  is  not  a  human  inducement,  Raoul ;  it  is  one  above 
earth,  and  all  it  holds." 

"  Peste ! — These  priests  are  scourges  sent  to  torment  men 
in  every  shape !  They  inflict  hard  lessons  in  childhood, 
teach  asperity  in  youth,  and  make  us  superstitious  and  silly 
in  age.  I  do  not  wonder  that  my  brave  compatriots  drove 
them  from  France ;  they  did  nothing  but  devour  like  locusts, 
and  deface  the  beauties  of  providence." 

"  Raoul,  thou  art  speaking  of  the  ministers  of  God !" 
Ghita  observed  meekly,  but  in  sorrow. 

"  Pardon  me,  dearest  Ghita ;  I  have  no  patience  when  I 
remember  what  a  trifle,  after  all,  threatens  to  tear  us  asun 
der.  Thou  pretendest  to  love  me  ?" 

"  It  is  not  pretence,  Raoul,  but  a  deep,  and  I  fear,  a  pain 
ful  reality." 

"  To  think  that  a  girl  so  frank,  with  a  heart  so  tender, 
and  a  soul  so  true,  will  allow  any  secondary  thing  to  divide 
her  from  the  man  of  her  choice !" 

"  It  is  not  a  secondary,  but  a  primary  thing,  Raoul ;  oh  ! 
that  I  could  make  thee  think  so.  The  question  is  between 
thee  arid  God — were  it  aught  else,  thou  might'st  indeed  pre 
vail." 

"  Why  trouble  thyself  about  my  religion,  at  all?  Are 
there  not  thousands  of  wives  who  tell  their  beads,  and  repeat 
their  aves,  while  their  husbands  think  of  anything  but  hea 
ven  1  Thou  and  I  can  overlook  this  difference ;  others 
overlook  them,  and  keep  but  one  heart  between  them  still, 
I  never  would  molest  thee,  Ghita,  in  thy  gentle  worship." 
31  * 


366  LE    FEU-FOLLET 

"It  is  not  them  that  I  dread,  Raoul,  but  myself;"  an 
swered  the  girl,  with  streaming  eyes,  though  she  succeeded 
in  suppressing  the  sobs  that  struggled  for  utterance.  "  '  A 
house  divided  against  itself  cannot  stand,'  they  say ;  how 
could  a  heart  that  was  filled  with  thee,  find  place  for  the 
love  it  ought  to  bear  the  author  of  its  being.  When  the 
husband  lives  only  for  the  world,  it  is  hard  for  the  wife  to 
think  of  heaven  as  she  ought." 

Raoul  was  deeply  touched  with  the  feeling  Ghita  betrayed, 
while  he  was  ready  to  adore  her  for  the  confiding  sincerity 
with  which  she  confessed  his  power  over  her  heart.  His 
answer  was  given  with  seductive  tenderness  of  manner, 
which  proved  that  he  was  not  altogether  unworthy  of  the 
strange  conflict  he  had  created  in  so  gentle  a  breast. 

"  Thy  God  will  never  desert  thee,  Ghita,"  he  said ;  "thou 
hast  nothing  to  fear  as  my  wife,  or  that  of  any  other  man. 
None  but  a  brute  could  ever  think  of  molesting  thee  in  thy 
worship,  or  in  doing  aught  that  thy  opinions  render  neces 
sary,  or  proper.  I  would  tear  the  tongue  from  my  mouth, 
before  reproach,  sneer,  or  argument,  should  be  used  to  bring 
thee  pain,  after  I  once  felt  that  thou  leanedst  on  me  for  sup 
port.  All  that  I  have  said  has  come  from  the  wish  that 
thou  would'st  not  misunderstand  me,  in  a  matter  that  I 
know  thou  think'st  important." 

"Ah!  Raoul,  little  dost  thou  understand  the  hearts  of 
women.  If  thy  power  is  so  great  over  me  to-day,  as  almost 
to  incline  me  from  the  most  solemn  of  all  my  duties,  what 
would  it  become  when  the  love  of  a  girl  should  turn  into  the 
absorbing  affection  of  a  wife!  I  find  it  hard,  even  now,  to 
reconcile  the  love  I  bear  to  God,  with  the  strong  feeling  thou 
hast  created  in  my  heart.  A  year  of  wedded  life  would 
endanger  more  than  I  can  express  to  you  in  words." 

"  And,  then,  the  fear  of  losing  thy  salvation,  is  stronger 
than  thy  earthly  attachments  ?" 

"  Nay,  Raoul,  it  is  not  that.  I  am  not  selfish,  or  cowardly 
as  respects  myself,  I  hope ;  nor  do  I  think,  at  all,  of  any 
punishment  that  might  follow  from  a  marriage  with  an  un 
believer  ;  what  I  most  apprehend  is  being  taught  to  love  my 
God  less  than  I  feel  I  now  do,  or  than,  as  the  creature  of  his 
mercy,  I  ought." 

"  Thou  speakest  as  if  man  could  rival  the  being  whom 


LE     IEU-FOLLET.  367 

thou  worshippest.  I  have  always  understood,  that  the  love 
we  bear  the  Deity,  and  that  we  bear  each  other,  are  of  a 
very  different  quality.  I  can  see  no  necessity  for  their  in- 
terfering  with  each  other." 

"  Nothing  can  be  less  alike,  Raoul ;  yet  one  may  impair, 
if  not  destroy  the  other.  Oh  !  if  thou  would'st  but  believe 
(hat  thy  Saviour  was  thy  God,  if  thou  could'st  but  be  dead 
to  his  love,  and  not  active  against  him,  I  might  hope  for 
better  things ;  but  I  dare  not  pledge  all  my  earthly  duties 
to  one  who  is  openly  an  enemy  ot  my  own  great  Master  and 
Redeemer." 

"  I  will  not,  cannot  deceive  thee,  Ghita — that  I  leave  to 
the  priests.  Thou  know'st  my  opinions,  and  must  take  me 
as  I  am,  or  wholly  reject  me.  This  I  say,  though  I  ieel 
that  disappointment,  if  you  persist  in  your  cruelty,  will  drive 
me  to  some  desperate  act,  by  means  of  which  I  shall  yet 
taste  of  the  mercies  of  these  English." 

"  Say  not  so,  Raoul ;  be  prudent  for  the  sake  of  your 
country — " 

"  But  not  for  thine,  Ghita  ?" 

"  Yes,  Raoul,  and  for  mine  also.  I  wish  not  to  conceal 
how  much  happier  I  shall  be  in  hearing  of  your  welfare  and 
peace  of  mind.  I  fear,  though  an  enemy,  it  will  ever  give 
me  pleasure  to  learn  that  thou  art  victorious.  But,  here  is 
the  road,  yonder  the  cottage  where  my  uncle  waits  for  me, 
and  we  must  part.  Heaven  bless  thee,  Raoul ;  my  prayers 
will  be  full  of  thee.  Do  not — do  not,  risk  more  to  see  me, 
but,  if — "  The  heart  -of  the  girl  was  so  full,  that  emotion 
choked  her.  Raoul  listened  intently  for  the  next  word,  but 
he  listened  in  vain. 

"  If  what,  dear  Ghita  ?  Thou  wert  about  to  utter  some 
thing  that  I  feel  is  encouraging." 

"  Oh  !  how  I  hope  it  may  be  so,  my  poor  Raoul !  I  was 
going  to  add,  if  God  ever  touches  thy  heart,  and  thou 
would'st  stand  before  his  altar,  a  believer,  with  one  at  thy 
side  who  is  ready  and  anxious  to  devote  all  to  thee,  but  her 
love  of  the  Being  who  created  her,  and  her  treasures  of 
future  happiness,  seek  Ghita;  thou  wilt  find  her  thou 
would'st  have." 

Raoul  stretched  forth  his  arms  to  clasp  the  tender  girl  to 
his  bosom  ;  but,  fearful  of  herself,  she  avoided  him,  and  fled 


368  LE    FEU-FOLLEl. 

along  the  path  like  one  terrified  with  the  apprehension  of 
pursuit.  The  young  man  paused  a  moment,  half  inclined 
to  follow ;  then  prudence  regained  its  influence,  and  he  be 
thought  him  of  the  necessity  of  getting  to  a  place  of  safety 
while  it  was  yet  night.  The  future  was  still  before  him,  in 
hope,  and  that  hope  led  him  to  look  forward  to  other  occa 
sions  to  press  his  suit. 

Little,  however,  did  Raoul  Yvard,  much  as  he  prized  her, 
know  Ghita  Caraccioli.  Her  nature  was  full  of  womanly 
sensibilities,  it  is  true,  and  her  heart  replete  with  tenderness 
for  him  in  particular ;  but  the  adoration  she  paid  to  God, 
was  of  that  lasting  character  which  endures  to  the  end.  In 
all  she  said  and  felt,  she  was  truth  itself;  and  while  no 
false  shame  interposed  to  cause  her  to  conceal  her  attach- 
ment,  there  was  a  moral  armour  thrown  about  her  purposes^ 
that  rendered  them  impregnable  to  the  assaults  of  the  world. 

Our  hero  found  Ithuel  sleeping  in  the  boat,  in  perfect 
security.  The  graniteman  thoroughly  understood  his  situa 
tion,  and  foreseeing  a  long  row  before  him,  he  had  quietly 
lain  down  in  the  stern-sheet  of  the  yawl,  and  was  taking  his 
rest,  as  tranquilly  as  he  had  ever  done  in  his  berth  on  board" 
le  Feu-Follet.  He  was  even  aroused  with  difficulty,  and  he 
resumed  the  oar  with  reluctance.  Before  descending  the 
funnel,  Raoul  had  taken  a  survey  of  the  water  from  the 
rocks  above.  He  listened  intently,  to  catch  any  sounds  that 
might  arise  from  the  English  boats.  But  nothing  was  visible 
in  the  obscurity,  while  distance,  or  caution,  prevented  any 
thing  from  being  audible.  Satisfied  that  all  was  safe  out 
side,  he  determined  to  row  out  into  the  Bay,  and,  making  a 
circuit  to  avoid  his  enemies,  push  to  the  westward,  in  the 
expectation  of  finding  his  lugger  in  the  offing.  As  there 
was  now  a  considerable  land-breeze,  and  the  yawl  was 
lightened  of  so  much  of  her  freight,  there  was  little  doubt 
of  his  being  able  to  effect  his  purpose,  so  far  as  getting  out 
of  sight  was  concerned,  at  least,  long  ere  the  return  of  light. 

"  Pardie,  Etooelle?"  Raoul  exclaimed,  after  he  had  given 
the  American,  jog  the  third,  "  you  sleep  like  a  friar  who  is 
paid  for  saying  masses  at  midnight.  Come,  ami ;  now  is 
our  time  to  move,  for  all  is  clear  outside." 

"Well,  natur',  they  say,  is  a  good  workman,  Captain 
Rule,"  answered  Ithuel,  gaping  and  rubbing  his  eyes;  "and 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  369 

never  did  ahe  turn  off  a  prettier  hiding-place  than  this.  One 
sleeps  so  quietly  in  it !  Heigho  !  I  suppose  the  ash  must  be 
kept  moving,  or  we  may  yet  miss  our  passage  back  to 
France.  Shove  her  bows  round,  Captain  Rule ;  here  is  the 
hole,  which  is  almost  as  hard  to  find,  as  it  is  to  thread  a 
needle  with,  a  cable.  A  good  shove,  and  she  will  shoot  out 
into  the  open  water." 

Raoul  did  as  desired.  Ithuel  touching  the  tiller,  the  yawl 
glided  through  the  opening,  and  felt  the  long  ground-swell 
of  the  glorious  Bay.  The  two  adventurers  looked  about 
them  with  some  concern,  as  they  issued  from  their- hiding 
place,  but  the  obscurity  was  too  deep  to  bring  anything  in 
view  on  the  face  of  the  waters.  The  flashing  that  occasion 
ally  illuminated  the  summit  of  Vesuvius,  resembled  heat- 
lightning,  and  would  have  plainly  indicated  the  position  of 
that  celebrated  mountain,  had  not  its  dark  outlines  been 
visible,  exposing  a  black  mass  at  the  head  of  the  Bay.  The 
ragged  mountain-tops,  behind  and  above  Castel  a  Mare, 
were  also  to  be  traced,  as  was  the  whole  range  of  the 
nearer  coast,  though  that  opposite  was  only  discoverable 
by  the  faint  glimmerings  of  a  thousand  lights,  that  were 
appearing  and  disappearing,  like  stars  eclipsed,  on  the  other 
side  of  the  broad  sheet  of  placid  water.  On  the  Bay  itself 
little  could  be  discerned ;  under  the  near  coast,  nothing,  the 
shadows  of  the  rocks  obscuring  its  borders  with  a  wide  belt 
of  darkness. 

After  looking  around  them  quite  a  minute  in  silence,  the 
men  dropped  their  oars,  and  began  to  pull  from  under  the 
point,  with  the  intention  of  making  an  offing  before  they  set 
their  little  luggs.  As  they  came  out,  the  heavy  flap  of  can 
vass,  quite  near,  startled  their  ears,  and  both  turned  instinc 
tively  to  look  ahead.  There,  indeed,  was  a  vessel,  standing 
directly  in,  threatening  even  to  cross  their  very  track.  She 
was  close  on  a  wind,  with  her  larboard  tacks  aboard,  and 
had  evidently  just  shaken  everything,  in  the  expectation  of 
luffing  past  the  point  without  tacking.  Could  she  succeed 
in  this,  it  would  be  in  her  power  to  stand  on,  until  com 
pelled  to  go  about  beneath  the  very  cliff's  of  the  town  of 
Sorrento.  This  was,  in  truth,  her  aim;  for  again  she 
shook  all  her  sails. 

««  Peste !"  muttered  Raoul ;  "this  is  a  bold  pilot— he  lovea 


370  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

the  rocks,  as  if  they  were  his  mistress !    We  must  lie  quiet, 
Etooelle,  and  let  him  pass ;  else  he  may  trouble  us." 

"  'Twill  be  the  wisest,  Captain  Rule;  though  I  do  not  think 
him  an  Englishman.  Hark  !  The  ripple  under  his  bow  is 
like  that  of  a  knife  going  through  a  ripe  water-melon." 

"  Mon  Feu-Follet !"  exclaimed  Raoul,  rising  and  actually 
extending  his  arms,  as  if  to  embrace  the  beloved  craft. 
"  Etooelle,  they  seek  us,  for  we  are  much  behind  our 
time !" 

The  stranger  drew  near  fast ;  when  his  outlines  became 
visible,  there  was  no  mistaking  them.  The  two  enormous 
luggs,  the  little  jigger,  the  hull,  almost  awash,  and  the  whole 
of  the  fairy  form,  came  mistily  into  view,  as  the  swift  bird 
assumes  colour  and  proportion,  while  it  advances  out  of  tho 
depth  of  the  void.  The  vessel  was  but  a  hundred  yards 
distant ;  in  another  minute,  she  would  be  past. 

"  Vive  la  Republique  /"  said  Raoul,  distinctly,  though  he 
feared  to  trust  his  voice  with  a  loud  hail. 

Again  the  canvass  flapped,  and  the  trampling  of  feet  was 
heard  on  the  lugger's  deck ;  then  she  came  sweeping  into 
the  wind,  within  fifty  feet  of  the  yawl.  Raoul  watched  the' 
movement ;  and  by  the  time  her  way  was  nearly  lost,  he 
was  alongside,  and  had  caught  a  rope.  At  the  next  instant, 
he  was  on  board  her. 

Raoul  trod  the  deck  of  his  lugger,  again,  with  the  pride 
of  a  monarch,  as  he  ascends  his  throne.  Certain  of  her 
sailing  qualities,  and  confident  of  his  own  skill,  this  gallant 
seaman  was  perfectly  indifferent  to  the  circumstance  that  he 
was  environed  by  powerful  enemies.  The  wind  and  the 
hour  were  propitious,  and  no  sensation  of  alarm  disturbed 
the  exultation  of  that  happy  moment.  The  explanations 
thnt  passed  between  him  and  his  first-lieutenant,  Pintard, 
were  brief  but  distinct.  Le  Feu-Follet  had  kept  off  the  land, 
with  her  sails  lowered,  a  trim  in  which  a  vessel  of  her  rig 
and  lowness  in  the  water  would  not  be  visible  more  than  five 
or  six  miles,  until  sufficient  time  had  elapsed,  when  she  was 
taken  into  the  Gulf  of  Salerno,  to  look  for  signals  from  the- 
heights  of  St.  Agata.  Finding  none,  she  went  to  sea  again, 
as  has  been  stated,  sweeping  along  the  coast,  in  the  hope  of 
falling  in  with  intelligence.  Although  she  could  not  be  seen 
by  her  enemies,  she  saw  the  three  cruisers  who  w«*re  on  the 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  371 

looK-otit,  and  great  uneasiness  prevailed  on  board,  concern 
ing  the  fa-tes  of  the  absentees.  On  the  afternoon  of  thai 
day,  the  lugger  was  carried  close  in  with  the  north-west  side 
of  Ischia,  which  island  she  rounded  at  dusk,  seemingly 
intending  to  anchor  at  Baioe,  a  harbour  seldom  without  allied 
cruisers.  As  the  wind  came  off  the  land,  however,  she  kept 
away,  and  passing  between  Procida  and  Mysenum,  she  came 
out  into  the  Bay  of  Naples,  about  three  hours  before  meeting 
with  Raoul,  with  the  intention  of  examining  the  whole  of  the 
opposite  coast,  in  search  of  the  yawl.  She  had  seen  the 
light  at  the  gaff  of  the  Proserpine,  and,  at  first,  supposed  it 
might  be  a  signal  from  the  missing  boat.  With  a  view  to 
make  sure  of  it,  the  lugger  had  been  kept  away,  until  the 
night-glasses  announced  a  ship ;  when  she  was  hauled  up  on 
a  wind,  and  had  made  two  or  three  successive  half-boards, 
to  weather  the  point  where  her  captain  lay  concealed ;  the 
Marina  Grande  of  Sorrento  being  one  of  the  places  of  rendez 
vous  mentioned  by  our  hero,  in  his  last  instructions. 

There  was  a  scene-  of  lively  congratulation,  and  of  even 
pleasing  emotion,  on  the  deck  of  the  lugger,  when  Raoul  so 
unexpectedly  appeared.*  He  had  every  quality  to  make 
himself  beloved  by  his  men.  Brave,  adventurous,  active, 
generous  and  kind-hearted,  his  qualities  rendered  him  a 
favourite  to  a  degree  that  was  not  common  even  among  the 
people  of  that  chivalrous  nation.  The  French  mariner  will 
oear  familiarity  better  than  his  great  rival  and  neighbour, 
the  Englishman  ;  and  it  was  natural  with  our  hero  to  be 
frank  and  free  with  all ;  whether  above  him  or  below  him  in 
condition.  The  temperaments  to  be  brought  into  subjection 
were  not  as  rude  and  intractabfe  as  those  of  the  Anglo-Saxon ; 
and  the  off-hand,  dashing  character  of  Raoul  was  admirably 
adapted  to  win  both  the  admiration  and  the  affections  of  his 
people.  They  now  thronged  about  him,  without  hesitation 
or  reserve,  each  man  anxious  to  make  his  good  wishes 
known,  his  felicitations  heard. 

"I  have  kept  you  playing  about  the  fire,  camarades" 
said  Raoul,  affected  by  the  proofs  of  attachment  he  received; 
« but,  we  will  now  take  our  revenge.  There  are  English 
boats  in  chase  of  me,  at  this  moment,  under  the  land ;  we 
will  try  to  pick  up  one  or  two  of  them,  by  way  of  letting 
them  know  there  is  still  such  a  vessel  as  le  Feu-Foltet." 


372  L  E    FEU-FOLLET. 

An  exclamation  of  pleasure  followed  ;  then  an  old  quarter 
master,  who  had  actually  taught  his  commander  his  first 
lessons  in  seamanship,  shoved  through  the  crowd,  and  put 
his  questions  with  a  sort  of  authority. 

"  Mon  capitaine"  he  said,  "  have  you  been  near  these 
English?" 

"  Ay,  Benoit ;  somewhat  nearer  than  I  could  wish.  To 
own  the  truth,  the  reason  you  have  not  sooner  seen  me,  was, 
that  I  was  passing  my  time  on  board  our  old  friend,  La  Pro 
serpine.  Her  officers  and  crew  would  not  lose  my  company, 
when  they  had  once  begun  to  enjoy  it." 

"  Peste  ! — mon  cher  capitaine — were  you  a  prisoner?' 

"  Something  of  that  sort,  Benoit.  At  least,  they  had  mo 
on  a  grating,  with  a  rope  round  the  neck,  and  were  about 
to  make  me  swing  off,  as  a  spy,  when  a  happy  gun  or  two, 
from  Nelson,  up  above  tkere,  at  the  town,  ordered  them  to 
let  me  go  below.  As  I  had  no  taste  for  such  amusements, 
and  wanted  to  see  mon  cher  Feu-Follet,  Etooelle  and  I  got 
into  the  yawl,  and  left  them;  intending  to  return  and  be 
hanged,  when  we  can  find  nothing  better  to  do." 

This  account  required  an  explanation,  which  Raoul  gave 
in  a  very  few  words,  and  then  the  crew  were  directed  to  go 
to  their  stations,  in  order  that  the  lugger  might  be  properly 
worked.  The  next  minute  the  sails' were  filled,  on  the  lar 
board-tack,  as  before,  and  le  Feu-Follet  again  drew  ahead, 
standing  in  for  the  cliffs. 

"  There  is  a  light  in  motion,  near  Capri,  mon  capitaine," 
observed  the  first-lieutenant ;  "  I  suppose  it  to  be  on  board 
some  enemy.  They  are  plenty  as  gulls,  about  this  bay." 

"You  are  very  right,  Monsieur.  Tis  la  Prosperinej 
she  shows  the  light  for  her  boats.-  She  is  too  far  to  leeward 
t3  meddle  with  us,  however,  and  we  are  pretty  certain 
there  is  nothing  between  her  and  the  ships  off  the  town, 
that  can  do  us  any  harm.  Are  all  our  lights  concealed  ? 
Let  them  be  well  looked  to,  monsieur." 

"All  safe,  mon  capitaine.  Le  Feu-Follet  never  shows  her 
lantern,  until  she  wishes  to  lead  an  enemy  into  the  mire !" 

"  Raoul  laughed,  and  pronounced  the  word  "  feora"  in 
the  emphatic  manner  peculiar  to  a  Frenchman.  Then,  as 
the  lugger  was  drawing  swiftly  in  towards  the  rocks,  he 


LE     FEU-FOLLET  373 

went  on  the  forecastle  himself,  to  keep  a  proper  look-out 
ahead ;  Ithuel,  as  usual,  standing  at  his  side. 

The  piano,  or  plain,  of  Sorrento  terminates,  on  the  side 
of  the  bay,  in  perpendicular  cliffs  of  tufa,  that  vary  from  one 
to  near  two  hundred  feet  in  height.  Those  near  the  tcvvn 
are  among  the  highest,  and  are  lined  with  villas,  convents, 
and  other  dwellings,  of  which  the  foundations  are  frequently 
placed  upon  shelves  of  rock,  fifty  feet  below  the  adjacent 
streets.  Raoul  had  been  often  here,  during  the  short  reign  of 
the  Rufo  faction,  and  was  familiar  with  most  of  the  coast. 
He  knew  that  his  little  lugger  might  brush  against  the  very 
rocks,  in  most  places,  and  was  satisfied  that  if  he  fell  in 
with  the  Prosperine's  boats  at  all,  it  must  be  quite  near  the 
land.  As  the  night  wind  blew  directly  down  the  bay,  sigh 
ing  across  the  campagna  between  Vesuvius  and  Castel  a 
Mare,  it  became  necessary  to  tack  off-shore,  as  soon  as  le 
Feu-Follet  got  close  to  the  cliffs,  where  the  obscurity  was 
greatest,  and  her  proportions  and  rig  were  not  discernible 
at  any  distance.  While  in  the  very  act  of  going  round,  and 
before  the  head-sheets  were  drawn,  Raoul  was  startled  by  a 
sudden  hail. 

"Felucca,  ahoy!"  cried  one,  in  English,  from  a  boat 
that  was  close  on  the  lugger's  bow. 

"  Halloo !"  answered  Ithuel,  raising  an  arm,  for  all  near 
him  to  be  quiet. 

"  What  craft's  that  ?"  resumed  he  in  the  boat. 

"  A  felucca  sent  down  by  the  admiral,  to  look  for  the 
Proserpine — not  finding  her  at  Capri,  we  are  turning  up  to 
the  anchorage  of  the  fleet  again." 

"  Hold  on  a  moment,  sir,  if  you  please ;  I  '11  come  on 
board  you.  Perhaps,  I  can  help  you  out  of  your  difficulty ; 
for  I  happen  to  know  something  of  that  ship." 

"Ay,  ay — bear  a  hand,  if  you  please ;  for  we  want  to 
make  the  most  of  this  wind  while  it  stands." 

It  is  singular  how  easily  we  are  deceived,  when  the  mind 
commences  by  taking  a  wrong  direction.  Such  was  now 
the  fact,  with  him  in  the  boat,  for  he  had  imbibed  tho 
notion  that  he  could  trace  the  outlines  of  a  felucca,  o. 
which  so  many  navigate  those  waters,  and  the  idea  that  it  was 
the  very  lugger  he  had  been  seeking,  never  crossed  his  mind. 
32 


374  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

Acting  under  the  delusion,  he  was  soon  alongside,  and  on 
khe  deck  of  his  enemy. 

"  Do  you  know  this  gentleman,  Etooelle  ?"  demanded 
Raoul,  who  had  gone  to  the  gangway  to  receive  his  visiter." 

"  It  is  Mr.  Clinch,  the  master's-mate  of  the  accursed  Pro 
serpine  ;  he  who  spoke  us  in  the  yawl,  off  the  point  yon 
der." 

"  How !"  exclaimed  Clinch,  his  alarm  being  sufficiently 
apparent  in  his  voice ;  "  have  I  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
Frenchmen  ?" 

"  You  have, Monsieur,"  answered  Raoul, courteously,  "but 
not  into  the  hands  of  enemies.  This  is  le  Feu-Follet,  and 
I  am  Raoul  Yvard." 

"  Then  all  hope  for  Jane  is  gone,  for  ever ! — I  have  pass 
ed  a  happy  day,  though  a  busy  one,  for  I  did  begin  to  think 
there  was  some  chance  for  me.  A  man  cannot  see  Nelson 
without  pulling  up,  and  wishing  to  be  something  like  him , 
but,  a  prison  is  no  place  for  promotion." 

"  Let  us  go  into  my  cabin,  Monsieur.  There  we  can  con 
verse  more  at  our  ease ;  and  we  shall  have  a  light." 

Clinch  was  in  despair ;  it  mattered  not  to  him,  whither 
he  was  taken.  In  the  cabin  he  sat  the  picture  of  a  helpless 
man,  and  a  bottle  of  brandy  happening  to  stand  on  the  table, 
he  eyed  it  with  something  like  the  ferocity  with  which  the 
hungry  wolf  may  be  supposed  to  gaze  at  the  lamb  ere  he 
leaps  the  fold. 

"Is  this  the  gentleman  you  mean,  Etooelle?"  demanded 
Raoul,  when  the  cabin-lamp  shone  on  the  prisoner's  face ; 
"  he  who  was  so  much  rejoiced  to  hear  that  his  enemy  was 
not  hanged  ?" 

"  'Tis  the  same,  Captain  Rule ;  in  the  main,  he  is  a  good- 
natured  officer — one  that  does  more  harm  to  himself  than 
to  any  one  else.  They  said,  in  the  ship,  that  he  went  up  to 
Naples  to  do  you  some  good  turn  or  other." 

*'  Bon  ! — You  have  been  long  in  your  boat,  Mr.  Clinch 
— we  will  give  you  a  warm  supper  and  a  glass  of  wine — 
after  which,  you  are  at  liberty  to  seek  your  frigate,  and  to  re 
turn  to  your  own  flag." 

Clinch  stared  as  if  he  did  not,  or  could  not,  believe  what 
he  heard — then  the  truth  flashed  on  his  mind,  and  he  burst 
into  tears.  Throughout  that  day  his  feelings  had  been  in 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  375 

extremes,  hope  once  more  opening  a  long  vista  of  happiness 
for  the  future,  through  the  renewed  confidence  and  advice  of  his 
captain.  Thus  far  he  had  done  well,  and  it  was  by  striving 
to  do  still  better  that  he  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
For  a  single  moment  the  beautiful  fabric  which  revived  hopes 
had  been  industriously  weaving  throughout  the  day,  was 
torn  into  tatters.  The  kindness  of  Raoul's  manner,  how 
ever,  his  words,  and  the  explanations  of  Ithuel,  removed  a 
mountain  from  his  breast,  and  he  became  quite  unmanned. 
There  is  none  so  debased  as  not  to  retain  glimmerings  of 
the  bright  spirit  that  is  associated  with  the  grosser  particles 
of  their  material  nature.  Clinch  had  in  him  the  living  con 
sciousness  that  he  was  capable  of  better  things,  and  he  en> 
dured  moments  of  deep  anguish,  as  the  image  of  the  patient, 
self-devoting,  and  constant  Jane  rose  before  his  mind's  eye 
to  reproach  him  with  his  weaknesses. 

It  is  true  that  she  never  made  these  reproaches  in  terms ; 
so  far  from  that,  she  would  not  even  believe  the  slanders  of 
those  she  mistook  for  his  enemies ;  but  Clinch  could  not 
always  quiet  the  spirit  within  him,  and  he  often  felt  degrad 
ed  as  he  remembered  with  how  much  more  firmness  Jane 
supported  the  load  of  hope  deferred,  than  he  did  himself. 
The  recent  interview  with  Cuffe  had  aroused  all  that  was 
left  of  ambition  and  self-respect,  and  he  had  left  the  ship 
that  morning  with  a  full  and  manly  determination  to  reform, 
and  to  make  one  continued  and  persevering  effort  to  obtain 
a  commission,  and  with  it  Jane.  Then  followed  capture 
and  the  moment  of  deep  despair.  But  Raoul's  generosity 
removed  the  load,  and  again  the  prospect  brightened. 


376  LE    FEU-FOLLET 


CHAPTEK  XXYL 

*•'  Oh !  many  a  dream  was»  in  the  ship 
An  hour  before  her  death ; 
And  sight  of  home,  with  sighs  disturb'd 
The  sleeper's  long-drawn  breath." 

WILSON. 

RAOUL  soon  decided  on  his  course.  While  he  was  con 
soling  Clinch,  orders  had  been  sent  to  Pintard  to  look  for 
the  other  gig;  but  a  few  minutes'  search,  under  the  cliffs, 
satisfied  those  on  deck  that  she  was  not  to  be  found ;  and  the 
fact  was  so  reported  below.  Nor  could  all  IthuePs  ingenuity 
extract  from  the  captured  boat's  crew,  any  available  infor 
mation  on  the  subject.  There  was  an  esprit  de  corps  among 
the  Proserpines,  as  between  their  own  ship  and  le  Feu-Follet, 
which  would  have  withstood,  on  an  occasion  like  this,  both 
threats  and  bribes ;  and  he  of  the  Granite  state  was  compelled 
to  give  the  matter  up  as  hopeless ;  though,  in  so  doing,  he 
did  not  fail  to  ascribe  the  refusal  to  betray  their  shipmates, 
on  the  part  of  these  men,  to  English  obstinacy,  rather  than 
to  any  creditable  feeling.  The  disposition  to  impute  the 
worst,  to  those  he  hated,  however,  was  not  peculiar  to  Ithuel 
or  his  country ;  it  being  pretty  certain  he  would  have  fared 
no  better  on  board  the  English  frigate,  under  circumstances 
at  all  analogous. 

Satisfied,  at  length,  that  the  other  boat  had  escaped  him, 
and  feeling  the  necessity  of  getting  out  of  the  Bay  while  it 
was  still  dark,  Raoul  reluctantly  gave  the  order  to  bear  up, 
and  put  the  lugger  dead  before  the  wind,  wing-and-wing. 
By  the  time  this  was  done,  the  light  craft  had  turned  so  far 
to  windward,  as  to  be  under  the  noble  rocks  that  separate  the 
piano  of  Sorrento  from  the  shores  of  Vico ;  a  bold  promon 
tory,  that  buttresses  the  sea,  with  a  wall  of  near  or  quite  a 
thousand  feet  in  perpendicular  height.  Here  she  felt  the 
full  force  of  the  land-wind;  and  when  her  helm  was  put  up, 
and  her  sheets  eased  off,  a  bird  turning  on  the  wing  would 
not  have  come  round  more  gracefully,  and  scarcely  with 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  377 

greater  velocity.  The  course  now  lay  from  point  to  point, 
in  order  to  avoid  being  becalmed  within  the  indentations  of 
the  coast.  This  carried  the  lugger  athwart  the  cove  of  Sor 
rento,  rather  than  into  it,  and,  of  course,  left  Yelverton,  who 
had  landed  at  the  smaller  marina,  quite  out  of  the  line  of  her 
course. 

So  swift  was  the  progress  of  the  little  craft,  that  within 
iifteen  minutes  after  bearing  up,  Raoul  and  Ithuel,  who  again 
occupied  their  stations  on  the  forecastle,  saw  the  head-land 
where  they  had  so  lately  been  concealed,  and  ordered  the 
helm  a-port.  in  order  to  sheer  out  and  give  it  a  berth.  Then 
rock  was  passed  after  rock,  cove  after  cove,  and  village  after 
village,  until  the  entrance  between  Capri  and  Campaneiia; 
was  again  reached.  In  sweeping  down  the  shore,  in  this 
manner,  the  intention  was  to  pick  up  any  boat  that  might  hap 
pen  to  be  in  the  lugger's  track;  for,  while  Raoul  was  disposed 
to  let  his  prisoner  go,  lie  had  a  strong  desire  to  seize  any  other 
officers  of  the  frigate  that  might  fall  in  his  way.  The  search 
was  ineffectual,  however ;  and  when  the  lugger  came  out 
into  the  open  sea,  all  expectation  of  further  success,  of  this 
nature,  was  reluctantly  abandoned. 

As  le  Feu-Follet  was  now  in  dangerous  proximity  to  three 
cruisers  of  the  enemy,  the  moment  was  one  that  called  for 
decision.  Fortunately,  the  positions  of  tile  English  vessels 
were  known  to  Raoul,  a  circumstance  that  lessened  the 
danger,  certainly;  but  it  would  not  do  to  continue  long 
within  a  league  of  their  anchorage,  with  the  risk  of  the  land 
breezes  failing.  As  yet  the  darkness,  and  the  shadows  of 
the  land,  concealed  the  privateer,  and  her  commander  deter 
mined,  if  not  literally  to  make  hay  while  the  sun  shone, 
at  least  to  profit  by  its  absence.  With  this  view,  then,  he 
ordered  the  lugger  hove-to,  the  boat  of  Clinch  hauled  to  the 
lee  gangway,  and  the  prisoners  to  be  all  brought  on  deck ; 
the  common  men,  in  the  waist,  and  the  rnaster's-rnate,  aft. 

"  Here  I  must  lose  the  pleasure  of  your  company,  Mon 
sieur  Clinch,"  said  Raoul,  with  a  cou/tesy  that  may  almost 
be  termed  national.  "  We  are  quite  as  near  votre  belle 
Proserpine  as  is  safe,  and  /  long  for  noire  belle  France. 
The  wind  is  fair  to  take  us  off  the  coast,  and  two  hours  will 
carry  us  out  of  sight,  even  were  it  noon-day.  You  will  have 
the  complaisance  to  make  my  duty  to  Monsieur  Cuffe — oui- 
32* 


378  LE     FEU-POLLET. 

par  die  !  and  to  ces  braves  Italiens,  who  are  so  much  ze 
amis  of  Sir  Smees  !  Touchez-la" 

Raoul  laughed,  for  his  heart  was  light,  and  sundry  droll 
conceits  danced  through  his  brain.  As  for  Clinch,  the  whole 
was  Greek  to  him,  with  the  exception  that  he  understood  it 
was  the  intention  of  the  French  to  take  their  vessel  off  the 
coast,  a  circumstance  that  he  was  not  sorry  to  learn,  though 
he  would  have  given  so  much,  a  few  hours  earlier,  to  have 
known  where  to  find  her.  Raoul's  generosity  had  worked 
a  revolution  in  his  feelings,  however,  and  nothing  was  far 
ther  from  his  wishes,  now,  than  to  be  employed  against  the 
celebrated  privateersman.  Still,  he  had  a  duty  to  perform 
to  the  service  of  which  he  was  a  member,  another  to  Jane, 
and  a  last  to  himself. 

"Captain  Yvard,"  said  the  master's-mate,  taking  the 
Dther's  offered  hand,  "  I  shall  never  forget  this  kindness  on 
your  part ;  it  comes  at  a  most  fortunate  moment  for  me. 
My  happiness  in  this  world,  and  perhaps  in  the  world  to 
come," — an  ejaculation  of"  bah  !"  involuntarily  escaped  the 
listener — "  depended  on  my  being  at  liberty.  I  hold  it  to 
be  fair,  however,  to  tell  you  the  whole  truth.  I  must  do  all 
I  can  to  capture  or  destroy  this  very  lugger,  as  well  as  any 
other  of  the  king's  enemies,  as  soon  as  I  am  my  own  master 
again." 

"  Bon ! —  I  like  your  frankness,  Monsieur  Clinch,  as 
much  as  I  like  your  humanity.  I  always  look  for  a  brave 
enemy  when  un  Anglais  comes  against  me ;  if  you  are  ever 
in  the  number,  I  shall  expect  nothing  worse." 

"  It  will  be  my  duty,  Captain  Yvard,  to  report  to  Captain 
Cuffe,  where  I  found  the  Folly,  where  I  left  her,  and  where 
I  think  she  is  steering  !  Even  your  armament,  crew,  and 
all  such  little  particulars,  I  shall  be  questioned  on ;  I  must 
answer  honestly." 

"  Mon  cher,  you  are  *  honest  fellow,'  as  you  Anglais  say. 
I  wish  it  was  noon-day,  that  you  might  better  see  our  deck 
— Le  Feu  Follet  is  not  ugly,  that  she  should  wish  to  wear  a 
veil.  Tell  everything,  Clinch,  mon  brave ;  if  Monsieur 
Cuffe  wish  to  send  another  party  against  our  lugger,  come 
in  the  first  boat  en  personne.  We  shall  always  be  happy  to 
see  Monsieur  Clinch.  As  for  where  we  steer,  you  see  our 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  379 

head  is  toward  la  belle  France ;  and  there  is  plenty  of  room 
for  a  long  chase.     Adieu,  mon  ami — au  revoir." 

Clinch  now  shook  hands,  heartily,  with  all  the  officers ; 
again  expressed  his  sense  of  the  liberality  with  which  ho 
was  treated,  and  this,  too,  with  emotion  ;  then  he  followed 
his  people  into  the  boat,  and  pulled  away  from  the  lugger's 
side,  holding  his  course  toward  the  light  which  was  still 
burning  on  board  the  Proserpine.  At  the  same  time  le  Feu- 
Follet  filled,  and  soon  disappeared  from  his  eyes,  in  the 
darkness,  running  off,  wing-and-wing,  and  steering  west,  as 
if  really  making  the  best  of  her  way  towards  the  Straits  of 
Bonifacio,  on  her  road  to  France. 

But,  in  fact,  Raoul  had  no  such  intention.  His  cruise 
was  not  up,  and  his  present  position,  surrounded  as  he  was 
with  enemies,  was  full  of  attraction  to  one  of  his  temperament. 
Only  the  day  before  he  appeared  in  the  disguise  of  a  lazza- 
rone,  he  had  captured,  manned,  and  sent  to  Marseilles  a 
valuable  store-ship ;  and  he  knew  that  another  was  hourly 
expected  in  the  bay.  This  was  an  excuse  to  his  people  for 
remaining  where  they  were.  But  the  excitement  of  con 
stantly  running  the  gauntlet,  the  pleasure  of  demonstrating 
the  superior  sailing  of  his  lugger,  the  opportunities  for  dis 
tinction,  and  every  other  professional  motive,  was  trifling,  as 
compared  with  the  tie  which  bound  him  to,  the  feeling  that 
unceasingly  attracted  him  towards  Ghita.  With  his  love, 
also,  there  began  to  mingle  a  sensation  approaching  to 
despair.  While  Ghita  was  so  gentle,  and  even  tender,  with 
him,  he  had  ever  found  her  consistent,  and  singularly  firm 
in  her  principles.  In  their  recent  dialogues,  some  that  we 
have  forborne  to  relate  on  account  of  their  peculiar  charac 
ter,  Ghita  had  expressed  her  reluctance  to  trust  her  fate  with 
one  whose  God  was  not  her  God,  with  a  distinctness  and 
force  that  left  no  doubt  of  the  seriousness  of  her  views,  or 
of  her  ability  to  sustain  them  in  acts.  What  rendered  her 
resolution  more  impressive,  was  the  ingenuous  manner 
with  which  she  never  hesitated  to  admit  Raoul's  power  over 
her  affections,  leaving  no  pretext  for  the  common-place  sup 
position  that  the  girl  was  acting.  The  conversation  of  that 
night,  weighed  heavily  on  the  heart  of  the  lover,  and  he  could 
not  summon  sufficient  resolution  to  part  —  perhaps  for 
months  —  with  such  an  apparent  breach  between  him  and 
his  hopes. 


380  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

As  soon  as  it  was  known,  therefore,  that  the  lugger  was 
far  enough  at  sea,  to  be  out  of  sight  from  the  boat  of  Clinch, 
she  came  by  the  wind  on  the  larboard  tack,  again,  heading 
up  towards  the  celebrated  ruins  of  Pcestum,  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  Bay  of  Salerno.  To  one  accustomed  to  the 
sea,  there  would 'not  have  seemed  sufficient  wind  to  urge 
even  that  light  craft  along,  at  the  rate  with  which  she  glided 
through  the  water.  But'the  land  breeze  was  charged  with 
the  damps  of  midnight;  the  canvass  was  thickened  from  the 
same  cause  ;  and  the  propelling  power  had  nearly  double  its 
apparent  force.  In  an  hour  after  hauling  up,  le  Feu-Follet 
tacked,  quite  eight  miles  .distant  from  the  spot  where  she 
altered  her  direction,  and  far  enough  to  windward  to  lay  her 
course  in,  directly  for  the  cliffs  beneath  the  village  of  St. 
Agata ;  or  the  present  residence  of  Ghita.  In  proceeding 
thus,  Raoul  had  a  double  intention  before  him.  English 
ships  were  constantly  passing  between  Sicily,  Malta,  and 
Naples ;  and,  as  those  bound  north  would  naturally  draw  in 
with  the  land  at  this  point,  his  position  might  enable  him  to 
strike  a  sudden  blow,  with  the  return  of  day,  should  any 
suitable  vessel  be  in  the  offing  next  morning.  Then  he  hoped 
for  a  signal  from  Ghita,  at  least — and  such  things  were  very 
dear  to  his  heart ;  or,  possibly,  anxiety  and  affection  might 
bring  her  down  to  the  water-side,  when  another  interview 
would  be  possible.  This  was  the  \veakness  of  passion  ;  and 
Raoul  submitted  to  its  power,  like  feebler-minded  and  less 
resolute  men  ;  the  hero  becoming  little  better  than  the  vulgar 
herd,  under  its  influence. 

The  two  or  three  last  days  and  nights  had  been  hours  of 
extreme  anxiety  and  care  to  the  officers  and  crew  of  the 
lugger,  as  well  as  to  their  commander,  and  all  on  board 
began  to  feel  the  necessity  of  sleep.  As  for  Ithuel,  he  had 
been  in  his  hammock  an  hour  ;  and  Raoul  now  thought 
seriously  of  following  his  example.  Giving  his  instructions 
to  the  young  lieutenant  who  was  in  charge  of  the  deck,  our 
hero  went  below,  and,  in  a  few  minutes,  he  was  also  lost  to 
present  hopes  and  fears. 

Everything  seemed  propitious  to  the  lugger,  and  the  inten 
tions  of  her  commander.  The  wind  went  down,  gradually, 
until  there  was  little  more  than  air  enough  to  keep  steerage- 
way  on  the  vessel,  while  the  ripple  on  the  water  disappeared, 


LE     FEU-POLLET.  381 

leaving  nothing  behind  it  but  the  long,  heavy,  ground-swell, 
that  always  stirs  the  bosom  of  the  ocean,  like  the  heaving 
respiration  of  some  gigantic  animal.  The  morning  grew 
darker,  but  the  surface  of  the  gulf  was  glassy  and  tranquil, 
leaving  no  immediate  motive  for  watchfulness,  or  care. 

These  ore  the  lethargic  moments  of  a  seaman's  life.  Days 
of  toil  bring  nights  of  drowsiness  ;  and  the  repose  of  nature 
presents  a  constant  temptation  to  imitate  her  example.  The 
reaction  of  excitement  destroys  the  disposition  to  indulge  in 
the  song,  the  jest,  or  the  tale  ;  and  the  mind,  like  the  body, 
is  disposed  to  rest  from  its  labours.  Even  the  murmuring 
wash  of  the  water,  as  it  rises  and  falls  against  the  vessel's 
sides,  sounds  like  a  lullaby,  and  sleep  seems  to  be  the  one 
great  blessing  of  existence.  Under  such  circumstances, 
therefore,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  watch  on  the  deck  of 
the  lugger,  indulged  this  necessary  want.  It  is  permitted  to 
the  common  men  to  doze  at  such  moments,  while  a  few  are 
on  the  alert ;  but,  even  duty,  in  the  absence  of  necessity, 
feels  its  task  to  be  irksome,  and  difficult  of  performance. 
Look-out  after  look-out  lowered  his  head  ;  the  young  man 
who  was  seated  on  the  arm-chest  aft  began  to  lose  his  con 
sciousness  of  present  things,  in  dreamy  recollections  of  Pro 
vence,  his  home,  and  the  girl  of  his  youthful  admiration. 
The  seaman  at  the  helm  alone  kept  his  eyes  open,  and  all 
his  faculties  on  the  alert.  This  is  a  station  in  which  vigi 
lance  is  ever  required  ;  and  it  sometimes  happens,  in  vessels 
where  the  rigid  discipline  of  a  regular  service  does  not  exist, 
that  others  rely  so  much  on  the  circumstance,  that  they  for 
get  their  own  duties,  in  depending  on  the  due  discharge  of 
his,  by  the  man  at  the  wheel. 

Such,  to  a  certain  degree,  was  now  the  fact  on  board  le 
Feu-Follet.  One  of  the  best  seamen  in  the  lugger  was  at 
the  helm,  and  each  individual  felt  satisfied  that  no  shift  of 
wind  could  occur,  no  change  of  sails  become  necessary,  that 
Antoine  would  not  be  there  to  admonish  them  of  the  circum 
stance.  One  day  was  so  much  like  another,  too,  in  that 
tranquil  season  of  the  year,  and  in  that  luxurious  sea,  that 
all  on  board  knew  the  regular  mutations  that  the  hours  pro 
duced.  The  southerly  air  in  the  morning  ;  the  zephyr  in 
the  afternoon  ;  and  the  land  wind  at  night,  were  as  much 
matters  of  course,  as  the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun.  No 


382  LE     PEU-FOLLET. 

one  felt  apprehension,  while  alt  submitted  to  the  influence 
of  a  want  of  rest,  and  of  the  drowsiness  of  the  climate. 

Not  so  with  Antoine.  His  hairs  were  grey.  Sleep  was 
no  longer  so  necessary  to  him.  He  had  much  pride  of 
calling,  too;  was  long  experienced,  and  possessed  senses 
sharpened  and  rendered  critical  by  practice,  and  many  dan 
gers.  Time  and  again,  did  he  turn  his  eyes  towards  Cam- 
panel  la,  to  ascertain  if  any  signs  of  the  enemy  were  in  sight ; 
the  obscurity  prevented  anything  from  being  visible,  but  the 
dark  outline  of  the  high  and  rock-bound  coast.  Then  he 
glanced  his  eyes  over  the  deck,  and  felt  how  completely 
everything  depended  on  his  own  vigilance  and  faithfulness. 
The  look  at  the  sails  and  to  windward  brought  no  cause  for 
uneasiness,  however,  and  presuming  on  his  isolation,  he 
began  to  sing,  in  suppressed  tones,  an  air  of  the  Troubadours ; 
one  that  he  had  learned  in  childhood,  in  his  native  langue 
du  midi.  Thus  passed  the  minutes,  until  Antoine  saw  the 
first  glimmerings  of  morning,  peeping  out  of  the  darkness, 
that  came  above  the  mountain-tops,  that  lay  in.  the  vicinity 
of  Eboli.  Antoine  felt  solitary  ;  he  was  not  sorry  to  greet 
these  symptoms  of  a  return  to  the  animation  and  communion 
of  a  new  day. 

"  Hist !  mon  lieutenant!"  whispered  the  old  mariner,  un 
willing  to  expose  the  drowsiness  of  his  young  superior  to  the 
gaze  of  the  common  men  ;  "'mon  lieutenant — 'tis  I,  Antoine." 

"  Eh  ! — bah  ! — Oh,  Antoine  est-ce-que  toi  1  Bon — what 
would  you  have,  mon  ami." 

"  I  hear  the  surf,  I  think,  mon  lievtenant.  Listen — is  not 
that  the  water  striking  on  the  rocks  of  the  shore  ?" 

"  Jamais  !  You  see  the  land  is  a  mile  from  us  ;  this  coast 
has  no  shoals.  The  captain  told  us  to  stand  close  in,  before 
we  hove-to,  or  called  him.  Pardie  ! — Antoine,  how  the 
little  witch  has  travelled  in  my  watch  !  Here  we  are,  within 
a  musket's  range  from  the  heights,  yet  there  has  been -no 
wind.'? 

"  Pardon,  won  lieutenant — I  do  not  like  that  sound  of 
the  surf;  it  is  too  near  for  tho  shore.  Will  you  have  the 
kindnoss  to  step  on  the  forecastle  and  look  ahead,  monsieur? 
the  light  is  beginning  to  be  of  use." 

The  young  man  yawned,  stretched  his  arms,  and  walked 
forward  ;  the  first  to  indulge  himself,  the  first,  also,  to  relieve 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  383 

the  uneasiness  of  an  old  shipmate,  whose  experience  ho 
respected.  Still  his  step  was  not  as  quick  as  common,  and 
it  was  near  a  minute  ere  he  reached  the  bows,  or  before  he 
gained  the  knight-heads.  But  his  form  was  no  sooner  visible 
there,  than  he  waved  his  arms  frantically,  and  shouted  in  a 
voice  that  reached  the  recesses  of  the  vessel — 

"  Hard  up  —  hard  up  with  the  helm,  Antoine  —  ease  off 
the  sheets,  mes  enfans  /" 

Le  Feu-Follet  rose  on  a  heavy  ground-swell,  at  thai 
moment ;  in  the  next  she  settled  down  with  a  shock  resem 
bling  that  which  we  experience  when  we  leap  and  alight 
sooner  than  was  expected  ;  there  she  lay  cradled  in  a  bed  of- 
rocks,  as  immoveable  as  one  of  the  stones  around  her ; — 
stones  that  had  mocked  the  billows  of  the  Mediterranean, 
within  the  known  annals  of  man,  more  than  three  thousand 
years.  In  a  word,  the  lugger  had  struck  on  one  of  those 
celebrated  islets,  under  the  heights  of  St.  Agata,  known  as 
the  Islands  of  the  Sirens,  and  which  are  believed  to  have 
been  commemorated  by  the  oldest  of  all  the.  living  profane 
writers,  Homer  himself.  The  blow  was  hardly  given,  before 
Raoul  appeared  on  deck.  The  vessel  gave  up  all  that  had 
life  in  her,  and  she  was,  at  once,  a  scene  of  alarm,  activity, 
and  exertion. 

It  is  at  such  a  moment  as  this,  that  the  most  useful  quali 
ties  of  a  naval  captain  render  themselves  apparent.  Of  all 
around  him,  Raoul  was  the  calmest,  the  most  collected,  and 
the  best  qualified  to  issue  the  orders  that  had  become  neces 
sary.  He  made  no  exclamations  —  uttered  not  a  word  of 
reproach  —  cast  not  even  a  glance  of  disapprobation  on  any 
near  him.  The  mischief  was  done ;  the  one  thing  needful 
was  to  repair  it,  if  possible,  leaving  to  the  future  the  cares 
of  discipline  and  the  distribution  of  rewards  and  punishments. 

"  She  is  as  fast  anchored  as  a  cathedral,  mon  lieutenant," 
he  quietly  observed  to  the  very  officer  through  whose  remiss- 
ness  the  accident  had  occurred  ;  "  I  see  no  use  in  these  sails. 
Take  them  in,  at  once;  they  may  set  her' further  on  the 
rocks,  should  she  happen  to  lift." 

The  young  man  obeyed  ;  every  nerve  in  his  body  agitated 
by  the  sense  of  delinquency.  Then  he  walked  aft,  cast  one 
look  around  him  at  the  desperate  condition  of  the  lugger, 
and,  with  the  impetuosity  of  character  that  belongs  to  his 


G84  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

country,  he  plunged  into  the  sea,  from  which  his  body  never 
re-appeared.  The  melancholy  suicide  was  immediately  re 
ported  to  Raoul. 

"  Bon''' — was  the  answer.  "  Had  he  done  it  an  hour  ear 
Her,  le  Feu-Follet  would  not  have  been  set  up  on  these  rocks, 
like  a  vessel  in  a  ship-yard — mais,  mes  enfans,  courage  ! — 
We'll  yet  see  if  our  beautiful  lugger  cannot  be  saved." 

If  there  were  stoicism  and  bitterness  in  this  answer,  there 
was  not  deliberate  cruelty.  Raoul  loved  his  lugger,  next  to 
Ghita,  before  all  things  on  earth,  and,  in  his  eyes,  the  fault 
of  wrecking  her  in  a  calm,  was  to  be  classed  among  the 
unpardonable  sins.  Still,  it  was  by  no  means  a  rare  occur 
rence.  Ships,  like  men,  are  often  cast  away  by  an  excess 
of  confidence ;  and  our  own  coast,  one  of  the  safest  in  the 
known  world  for  the  prudent  mariner  to  approach,  on  ac 
count  of  the  regularity  of  its  soundings,  has  many  a  tale  to 
tell  of  disasters  similar  to  this,  which  have  occurred,  simply 
because  no  signs  of  danger  were  apparent.  Our  hero  would 
not  have  excused  himself  for  such  negligence,  and  that  which 
self-love  will  not  induce  us  to  pardon,  will  hardly  be  con 
ceded  to  philanthropy. 

The  pumps  were  sounded,  and  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
lugger  had  come  down  so  easily  into  her  bed,  and  lay  there 
with  so  little  straining  of  her  seams,  that  she  continued  tight 
as  a  bottle.  This  left  all  the  hope  which  circumstances 
would  allow,  of  still  saving  the  vessel.  Raoul  neglected  no 
useful  precaution.  By  this  time  the  light  was  strong  enough 
to  enable  him  to  see  a  felucca  coming  slowly  down  from 
Salerno,  before  the  wind,  or  all  that  was  still  left  of  the  night 
air,  and  he  despatched  Ithuel  with  an  armed  boat  to  seize 
her,  and  bring  her  alongside  of  the  rocks.  He  took  this 
course  with  the  double  purpose  of  using  the  prize,  if  prac 
ticable,  in  getting  his  own  vessel  off,  or,  in  the  last  resort, 
of  making  his  own  escape,  and  that  of  his  people,  in  her 
to  France.  He  did  not  condescend  to  explain  his  motives, 
however;  nor 'did  anyone  presume  to  inquire  into  them. 
Raoul  was  now  strictly  a  commander, .acting  in  a  desperate 
emergency.  Fie  even  succeeded  in  suppressing  the  consti 
tutional  volubility  of  his  countrymen,  and  in  substituting  for 
it  the  deep,  attentive  silence  of  thorough  discipline;  one  of 
the  great  causes  of  his  own  unusual  success  in  maritime 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  385 

enterprises.  To  the  want  of  this  very  silence  and  attention 
may  be  ascribed  so  many  of  those  naval  disasters  which 
have  undeniably  befallen  a  people  of  singular  enterprise  and 
courage.  Those  who  wish  them  well,  will  be  glad  to  learn 
that  the  evil  has  been,  in  a  great  measure,  repaired. 

As  soon  as  the  boat  was  sent  to  seize  the  felucca,  the 
yawl  was  put  into  the  water,  and  Raoul,  himself,  began  to 
sound  around  the  lugger.  The  rocks  of  the  Sirens,  as  the 
islets  are  called  to  this  day,  are  sufficiently  elevated  above 
the  surface  of  the  sea  to  be  visible  at  some  distance  ;  though, 
lying  in  a  line  with  the  coast,  it  would  not  have  been  easy 
for  the  look-outs  of  le  Feu-Follet  to  discern  them  at  the  hour 
when  she  struck,  ever  had  they  been  on  the  alert.  The 
increasing  light,  however,  enabled  the  French  fully  to  as 
certain  their  position,  and  to  learn  the  extent  of  the  evil. 
The  lugger  had  been  lifted  into  a  crevice  between  two  of  the 
rocks,  by  a  ground-swell  heavier  than  common  ;  and  though 
there  was  deep  water  all  round  her,  it  would  be  impossible 
to  get  her  afloat  again  without  lightening.  So  long  as  the 
wind  did  not  blow,  and  the  sea  did  not  rise,  she  was  safe 
enough;  but  a  swell  that  should  force  the  hull  to  rise  and 
fall,  would  inevitably  cause  her  to  bilge.  These  facts  were 
learned  in  five  minutes  after  the  yawl  was  in  the  water,  and 
much  did  Raoul  rejoice  at  having  so  promptly  sent  Ithuel  in 
quest  of  the  felucca.  The  rocks  were  next  reconnoitred,  in 
order  to  ascertain  what  facilities  they  offered  to  favour  the 
discharging  of  the  vessel's  stores.  Some  of  them  were  high 
enough  to  protect  articles  from  the  wash  of  the  water,  but  it  is 
at  all  times  difficult  to  lie  alongside  of  rocks  that  are  ex 
posed  to  the  open  sea ;  the  heaving  and  setting  of  the  ele 
ment,  even  in  cairns,  causing  the  elevation  of  its  sur&tee  so 
much  to  vary.  On  the  present  occasion,  however,  the 
French  found  less  swell  than  common,  and  that  it  was  pos^ 
yible  to  get  their  stores  ashore  at  two  or  three  different 
points. 

Raoul  now  directed  the  work  to  commence  in  earnest. 
The  lugger  carried  four  boats;  viz — a  launch,  a  cutter,  the 
yowl,  and  a  jolly-boat.  The  second  had  been  sent  after  the 
felucca,  with  a  strong  crew  in  her;  but  the  three  others 
were  employed  in  discharging  stores.  Raoul  perceived  at 
mice  that  the  moment  was  not  one  for  half-way  measures, 
33 


386  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

and  that  large  sacrifices  must  be  made,  to  save  the  hull  of 
the  vessel.  This,  and  the  safety  of  his  crew,  were  the  two 
great  objects  he  kept  before  him.  Ail  his  measures  were 
directed  to  that  end.  The  water  was  started,  in  the  lug 
ger's  hold,  by  staving  the  casks,  and  the  pumps  were  set  in 
motion,  as  soon  as  possible.  Provisions,  of  all  sorts,  were 
cast  into  the  sea,  for  le  Feu-Follet  had  recently  supplied 
'Herself,  from  a  prize,  and  was  a  little  deeper  than  her  best 
Jrim  allowed.  In  short,  everything  that  could  be  spared,  was 
thrown  overboard,  barely  a  sufficiency  of  food  and  water 
being  retained,  to  last  the  people,  until  they  could  reach 
Corcica  ;  whither  it  was  their  captain's  intention  to  proceed, 
the  moment  he  got  his  vessel  afloat. 

The  Mediterranean  has  no  regular  tides,  though  the  water 
rises  and  falls  materially,  at  irregular  intervals ;  either  the 
effect  of  gales,  or  of  the  influence  of  the  adjacent  seas.  This 
circumstance  prevented  the  calamity  of  having  gone  ashore, 
at  high  water,  while  it  also  prevented  the  mariners  from 
profiting  by  any  flood.  It  left  them,  as  they  had  been  placed 
by  the  accident,  itself,  mainly  dependent  on  their  own  exer-, 
tions. 

Under  such  circumstances,  then,  our  hero  set  about  the 
discharge  of  his  responsible  duties.  An  hour  of  active  toil, 
well  directed,  and  perseveringly  continued,  wrought  a  material 
change.  The  vessel  was  small,  while  the  number  of  hands 
was  relatively  large.  At  the  end  of  the  time  mentioned,  the 
officer  charged  with  the  duty,  reported  that  the  hull  moved 
under  the  power  of  the  heaving  sea,  and  that  it  might  soon 
be  expected  to  strike,  with  a  force  to  endanger  its  planks 
and  ribs.  This  was  the  sign  to  cease  discharging,  and  to 
complete  the  preparations  that  had  been  making:,  for  heav 
ing  the  lugger  off;  it  being  unsafe  to  delay  that  process, 
after  the  weight  was  sufficiently  lessened,  to  allow  it.  The 
launch  had  carried  out  an  anchor,  and  was  already  return 
ing  towards  the  rocks,  paying  out  cable,  as  it  came  in. 
But  the  depth  of  the  water  rendered  this  an  anxious  service, 
since  there  was  the  danger  of  dragging  the  ground-tackle 
home,  as  it  is  termed,  on  account  of  the  angle  at  which  it 
lay. 

At  this  moment,  with  the  exception  of  the  difficulty  last 
named,  everything  seemed  propitious.  The  wind  had  gono 


LE     FE£     FOLLET.  387 

down  entirely,  the  southerly  air  having  lasted  but  a  short 
time,  and  no  other  succeeding  it.  The  sea  was,  certainly, 
not  more  disturbed  than  it  had  been  all  the  morning,  which 
was  at  its  minimum  of  motion,  while  the  day  promised  to 
b'e  cairn  and  clear.  Nothing  was  in  sight  but  the  felucca, 
and  she  was  not  only  in  Ithucl's  possession,  but  she  had 
drawn  within  half-a-milc  of  the  rocks,  and  was  sweeping 
still  nearer  at  each  instant.  In  ten  minutes  she  must  come 
alongside.  Raoul  had  ascertained  that  there  was  water 
enough,  where  le  Feu-Follet  lay,  to  permit  a  vessel  like  his 
prize,  to  touch  her;  and  many  things  lay  on  deck,  in  readi 
ness  to  be  transferred  to  this  tender,  previously  to  beginning 
to  heave.  The  rocks,  too,  were  well  garnished  with  casks, 
cordage,  shot,  ballast,  and  such  other  articles  as  could  be 
come  at — the  armament  and  amunition  excepted.  These 
last  our  hero  always  treated  with  religious  care,  for,  in  all 
he  did,  there  was  a  latent  determination  resolutely  to  defend 
himself.  But,  there  were  no  signs  of  any  such  necessity's 
being  likely  to  occur,  and  the  officers  began  to  flatter  them 
selves,  with  their  ability  to  get  their  lugger  afloat,  nnd  in 
sailing  trim,  before  the  usual  afternoon's  breeze  should  set 
in.  In  waiting,  therefore,  for  the  arrival  of  the  felucca, 
and,  in  order  that  the  work  might  meet  with  no  interrup 
tion,  when  the  men  once  began  to  heave,  the  people  were 
ordered  to  get  their  breakfasts. 

This  pause  in  the  proceedings  gave  Raoul  an  opportunity 
to  look  about  him,  and  to  reflect.  Twenty  times  did  he 
turn  his  eyes,  anxiously,  towards  the  heights  of  St.  Agata, 
where  there  existed  subjects  equally  of  attraction  and  appre 
hension.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  first  was 
GhiUi;  while  the  last  arose  from  the  fear  that  some  curious 
eye  might  recognise  the  lugger,  and  report  her  condition  to 
the  enemies  known  to  be  lying  at  Capri;  only  a  league  or 
two  on  the  other  side  of  the  hills.  But  all  was  seemingly 
tranquil  there,  at  that  early  hour;  and  the  lugger  making 
very  little  show  when  her  canvass  was  not  spread,  there  was 
reason  to  hope  that  the  accident  was  as  yet  unseen.  The 
uppionch  of  the  felucca  would  probably  betray  it;  though 
the  precaution  had  been  taken  to  order  Ithuel  to  show  no 
of  national  character. 


388  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

Raoul  Yvard  was  a  very  different  man,  at  this  moment 
of  leisure  and  idleness,  from  what  he  had  been  a  few  hours 
earlier.  Then  he  trod  the  deck  of  his  little  cruiser  with  some 
such  feelings  as  the  man  who  exults  in  his  strength,  and 
rejoices  in  his  youth.  Now  he  felt  as  all  are  apt  to  feel 
who  are  rebuked  by  misfortunes  and  disease.  Nevertheless, 
his  character  had  lost  none  of  its  high  chivalry;  and  even 
there,  as  he  sat  on  the  taffrail  of  the  stranded  Feu-Follet,  he 
meditated  carrying  some  stout  Englishman  by  surprise  and 
boarding,  in  the  event  of  his  not  succeeding  in  getting  off 
the  lugger.  The  felucca  would  greatly  aid  such  an  enter 
prise  ;  and  his  crew  was  strong  enough,  as  well  as  suffi 
ciently  trained,  to  promise  success. 

Pn  such  an  expedient,  even,  was  he  ruminating,  as  Ithuel, 
in'obedience  to  an  order  given  through  the  trumpet,  brought 
his  prize  alongside,  and  secured  her  to  the  lugger.  The  men 
who  had  accompanied  the  American  were  now  dismissed  to 
their  morning's  meal,  while  Raoul  invited  their  leader  to 
share  his  frugal  repast,  where  he  sat.  As  the  two  broke 
their  fasts,  questions  were  put  and  answered,  concerning  what 
had  occurred,  during  the  hour  or  two  the  parties  had  been 
separated.  Raoul's  tale  was  soon  told  ;  but  the  other  learned 
with  concern,  that  the  crew  of  the  felucca  had  taken  to  their 
boat,  and  escaped  to  the  landing  of  the  Scaricatqjo,  on  find 
ing  that  the  capture  of  their  vessel  was  inevitable.  This 
proved  that  the  character  of  the  wreck  was  known,  and  left 
but  little  hope  that  their  situation  would  not  be  reported  to 
the  English,  in  the  course  of  the  morning. 


LE     FEU-FOLLBT.  389 


CHAPTER  XXYII. 


"  Cut  now  lead  on  ; 


In  me  is  no  delay  ;  with  thee  to  go, 
Is  to  stay  here ;  with  thee  here  to  stay, 
Is  to  go  hence  unwilling;  thou  to  me 
Art  all  things  under  heav'n,  all  places  thou." 

MILTON. 

THE  intelligence  communicated  by  Ithuel  essentially 
altered  Raoul's  views  of  his  actual  situation.  An  active  man 
might  go  from  the  Marinella,  at  the  foot  of  the  Scaricatojo, 
or  Uie  place  where  the  crew  of  the  felucca  had  landed,  to 
the  Marina  Grande  of  Sorrento,  in  an  hour.  At  the  latter 
beach,  boats  were  always  to  be  found,  and  two  hours 
more  would  carry  the  messenger,  by  water,  to  the  ships  off 
Capri,  even  in  a  calm.  The  first  of  these  important  hours 
had  now  elapsed  some  time;  and  he  could  not  doubt  that 
vigorous  arms  were  already  employed  in  pulling  across  the 
few  leagues  of  water  that  separated  the  island  from  the  shores 
of  Sorrento.  The  day  was  calm,  it  is  true  ;  and  it  would  be 
impossible  to  move  the  ships ;  but  two  frigates  and  a  heavy 
sloop-of-war,  might  send  such  a  force  against  him  in  boats, 
as,  in  his  present  situation,  would  render  resistance  next  to 
hopeless. 

Raoul  ceased  eating,  and,  standing  on  the  taffrail,  he  cast 
anxious  looks  .around  him.  His  sturdy  followers,  ignorant 
of  all  the  dangers  by  which  they  were  environed,  were  con 
suming  their  morning's  meal,  with  the  characteristic  indif 
ference  to  danger  that  marks  the  ordinary  conduct  of  sea 
men.  Even  Ithuel,  usually  so  sensitive  on  the  subject  of 
English  power,  and  who  had  really  so  much  to  apprehend, 
should  he  again  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Proserpincs,  was 
masticating  his  food,  with  the  keen  relish  of  a  man  who  had 
been  hard  at  work  the  whole  morning.  All  appeared  uncon 
scious  of  their  critical  condition;  and  to  Raoul  it  seemed  as 
if  the  entire  responsibility  rested  on  his  own  shoulders. 
Fortunately,  he  was  not  a  man  to  shrink  from  his  present 
duties  ;  and  he  occupied  the  only  leisure  moment  that  would 
33* 


390  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

he  likely  to  offer  that  day,  in  deliberating  on  his  resources, 
and  in  maturing  his  plans. 

The  armament  still  remained  in  the  lugger,  but  it  was 
doubtful  if  she  would  float  without  removing  it;  and,  admit 
ting  this  necessity,  the  question  arose  of,  what  was  to  bo 
clone  with  it,  in  order  to  render  it.  available,  in  the  event  of 
an  attack.  Two,  or  even  four  of  the  light  guns  might  be 
worked  on  the  decks  of  the  felucca;  and  here  he  determined 
they  should  be  immediately  placed,  with  a  proper  supply  of 
cartridges  and  shot.  Twenty  men  thrown  into  that  light 
craft,  which  Ithuel  reported  as  sailing  and  sweeping  well, 
might  prove  of  the  last  importance.  Then  one  of  the  islets 
had  a  ruin  on  it,  of  what  was  believed  to  be  an  ancient 
temple.  It  is  true,  these  ruins  were  insignificant,  and 
scarcely  visible  at  any  distance  ;  but,  on  a  close  examina 
tion,  and  by  using  some  of  the  displaced  stones  with  judg 
ment,  it  was  possible  to  entrench  a  party  behind  them,  and 
make  a  stout  resistance  against  light  missiles  ;  or  such  as 
boats  would  most  probably  use.  Raoul  got  into  the  yawl, 
and  sculled  himself  to  this  spot,  examining  the  capabilities 
with  care  and  judgment.  After  this,  his  mode  of  proceeding 
was  matured  to  his  own  satisfaction. 

The  usual  time  had  been  consumed,  and  the  hands  were 
"  turned  to ;"  each  officer  receiving  the  orders  necessary  to 
the  discharge  of  the  duty  confided  to  his  particular  superin 
tendence.  As  Ithuel  had  captured  the  felucca,  Raoul  felt  it 
right  to  intrust  him  with  the  command  of  the  prize.  He  was 
directed  to  take  on  board  the  armament  and  ammunition 
necessary  to  a  defence,  to  mount  the  guns  in  the  best  manner 
he  could,  and  to  make  all  the  other  fighting  preparations; 
while  another  gang  struck  into  the  felucca's  hold,  such  arti 
cles  from  the  lugger,  as  it  was  desirable  to  save. 

Another  party,  under  the  first-lieutenant,  landed  the  re 
mainder  of  the  light  carronades,  pieces  of  twelve  pounds 
only,  with  the  proper  stores,  and  commenced  the  arrange 
ments  to  place  them  in  battery  among  the  ruins.  A  small 
supply  of  food  and  water  was  also  transferred  to  this  islet. 

While  these  dispositions  were  in  progress,  Raoul  himself, 
assisted  by  his  sailing-master,  prepared  to  heave  the  lugger 
off  the  rocks.  To  this,  at  present  the  most  important  duty, 
our  hero  gave  his  personal  inspection ;  for  it  required  skill 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  391 

judgment,  and  caution.  The  physical  force  of  the  crew 
was  reserved  to  aid  m  the  attempt.  At  length  everything 
was  ready,  and  the  instant  had  arrived  when  the  momen 
tous  trial  was  to  be  made.  The  lugger  had  now  been  ashore 
quite  four  hours,  and  the  sun  had  been  up  fully  three.  By 
this  time,  Raoul  calculated  that  the  English,  at  Capri,  knew 
of  his  misfortune,  and  little  leisure  remained  in  which  to  do 
a  vast  deal  of  work.  The  hands  were  all  summoned  to  the 
bars,  therefore,  and  the  toil  of  heaving  commenced. 

As  soon  as  the  cable  got  the  strain,  Raoui  felt  satisfied 
that  the  anchor  would  hold.  Fortunately,  a  fluke  had  taken 
a  rock,  a  circumstance  that  could  be  known  only  by  the 
result ;  but,  so  long  as  the  iron  held  together,  there  was  no 
danger  of  that  material  agent's  failing  them.  The  last  part 
of  the  process  of  lightening  was  now  performed  as  rapidly 
as  possible,  and  then  came  the  trial-heave  at  the  bars. 
Every  effort  was  fruitless,  however,  inch  being  gained  after 
inch,  until  it  seemed  as  if  the  hemp  of  the  cable  were  ex 
tending  its  minutest  fibres,  without  the  hull's  moving  any 
more  than  the  rocks  on  which  it  lay.  Even  the  boys  were 
called  to  the  bars;  but  the  united  force  of  all  hands,  the 
officers  included,  produced  no  change.  There  was  an  in 
stant  when  Raoul  fancied  his  best  course  would  be  to  set  fire 
to  the  hulk,  get  on  board  the  felucca,  and  sweep  off  to  the 
southward,  in  season  to  avoid  the  expected  visit  from  the 
English.  He  even  called  his  officers  together,  and  laid  the 
proposition  before  them.  But  the  project  was  too  feebly 
urged,  and  it  met  with  too  little  response  in  the  breasts  of 
his  auditors  to  be  successful.  The  idea  of  abandoning  that 
beautiful  and  faultless  little  craft,  was  too  painful,  while 
the  remotest  hope  of  preserving  it  remained. 

Raoul  had  measured  his  hours  with  the  accuracy  of  a 
prudent  general.  It  was  now  almost  time  for  the  English 
boats  to  appear,  and  he  began  to  hope  that  the  Neapolftana 
had  made  the  great  mistake  of  sending  their  information  to 
the  fleet  off  Naples,  rather  than  carrying  it  to  the  ships  at 
Capri.  Should  it  prove  so,  he  had  still  the  day  before  him, 
and  might  retire  under  cover  of  the  night.  At  all  events, 
the  lugger  could  not  be  abandoned  without  an  enemy  in 
sight,  and  the  people  were  again  called  to  the  bars  for  a  re 
newed  effort.  As  water  might  be  obtained  at  a  hundred 


302  LE     FEU-FOLI*ET. 

points  on  the  coast,  and  the  distance  to  Corsica  was  so  smallj 
the  last  gallon  had  been  started  and  pumped  out,  during  the 
recent  pause. 

Our  hero  felt  that  this  was  the  final  effort.  The  hold 
of  le  Feu-Follet  was  literally  empty,  and  all  her  spare  spars 
were  floating  among  the  rocks.  If  she  could  not  be  started 
now,  he  did  not  possess  the  means  to  get  her  off.  The  an 
chor  held  ;  the  cable,  though  stretched  to  the  utmost,  stood, 
and  every  creature,  but  himself,  was  at  the  bars.  The 
ground-swell  had  been  lessening  all  the  morning,  and  little 
aid  was  now  to  be  had  from  the  rising  of  the  water.  Still 
that  little  must  be  obtained  ;  without  it,  the  task  seemed  hop"' 
less. 

"  Get  ready,  men,"  cried  Raoul,  as  he  paced  the  taffrail ; 
"  and  heave  at  the  word.  We  will  wait  for  a  swell,  theo 
strain  every  nerve  till  something  part.  Pas  encore,  mes 
enfans — pas  encore!  Stand  by! — Yonder  comes  a  fellow 
who  will  lift  us — heave  a  strain  —  heave  harder — heave, 
body  and  soul ! — heave,  altogether  !" 

The  men  obeyed.  First  they  hove  a  gentle  strain ;  then 
the  effort  was  increased,  and,  obedient  to  the  order,  just  as 
the  ground-swell  rolled  under  the  lugger's  bottom,  they 
threw  out  their  utmost  strength,  and  the  hull  started  for  the 
first  tim^.  This  was  encouraging,  though  the  movement 
diri  not  exceed  six  inches.  It  was  a  decided  movement,  and 
was  made  in  the  right  direction.  This  success  nerved  the 
people  to  an  increased  effort.  It  was  probable  that,  at  the 
next  strain,  they  would  throw  a  tenth  more  impetus  into 
their  muscles.  Of  all  this,  Raoul  was  aware,  and  he  deter- 
'  mined  not  to  let  the  feeling  flag. 

"  Encore,  mes  enfans /"  he  said.  "  Heave,  and  get  ready  ! 
Be  watchful — now  's  your  time  !  Heave,  and  rip  the  planks 
off  the  lugger's  bottom  —  heave,  men,  heave  !" 

This  time,  the  effort  answered  to  the  emergency ;  the 
swell  rolled  in,  the  men  threw  out  their  strength,  a  surge 
was  felt,  it  was  followed  up  by  a  strain,  and  le  Feu-Follet 
shot  off  her  bed  into  deep  water,  rolling,  for  want  of  ballast. 
nearly  to  her  hammock-cloths.  She  soon  lay  directly  over 
her  anchor. 

Here  was  success ! — Triumphant  success ;  and  that,  at  a 
moment  when  the  most  sanguine  had  begun  to  dnspair. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  3  >3 

The  men  embraced  each  other,  showing  a  hundred  mani 
festations  of  extravagant  joy.  The  tears  came  to  RaouPs 
eyes ;  but  he  had  no  opportunity  of  concealing  them,  every 
officer  he  had  pressing  around  him  to  exchange  felicitations. 
The  scene  was  one  of  happy  disorder.  It  had  lasted  two 
or  three  minutes,  when  Ithuel,  always  cold  and  calculating, 
edged  his  way  through  the  throng  to  his  commander's  side, 
and  pointed  significantly  in  the  direction  of  Campanella. 
There,  indeed,  was  visible,  a  division  of  the  expected  boats. 
It  was  pulling  towards  them,  having  that  moment  doubled 
the  cape ! 

IthuePs  gesture  was  too  significant  to  escape  attention, 
and  every  eye  followed  its  direction.  The  sight  was  of  a 
nature  not  to  be  mistaken.  It  at  once  changed  the  current 
of  feeling  in  all  who  beheld  it.  There  was  no  longer  a 
doubt  concerning  the  manner  in  which  the  news  of  the 
accident  had  travelled,  or  of  its  effect  on  the  English  at  Capri. 
In  point  of  fact,  the  padrone  of  the  captured  felucca,  with  a 
sole  eye  to  the  recovery  of  his  vessel,  had  ascended  the 
Scaricatojo,  after  landing  at  the  Marinella,  at  its  foot,  fast 
as  legs  could  carry  him ;  had  rather  run,  than  glided,  along 
the  narrow  lanes  of  the  piano  and  the  hill-side  to  the  beach 
of  Sorrento  ;  had  thrown  himself  into  a  boat,  manned  by 
four  lusty  Sorrentine  watermen — and  Europe  does  not  con- 
tain  lustier  or  bolder ;  had  gone  on  board  the  Terpsichore, 
and  laid  his  case  before  Sir  Frederick  Dashwood,  ignorant 
of  the  person  of  the  real  commanding  officer  among  the 
three  ships.  The  young  baronet,  though  neither  very  wise, 
nor  very  much  experienced  in  his  profession,  was  exceed 
ingly  well  disposed  to  seek  distinction.  It  immediately 
occurred  to  his  mind,  that  the  present  was  a  fitting  opportu 
nity  to  gain  laurels.  He  was  second  in  rank,  present ;  and, 
in  virtue  of  that  claim,  he  fancied  that  the  first  could  do  no 
more  than  send  him  in  command  of  the  expedition,  which 
he  righly  foresaw  Cuffe  would  order  against  the  French. 
But  there  arose  a  difficulty.  As  soon  as  Sir  Frederick 
reported  the  nature  of  the  intelligence  he  had  received  to 
his  senior  captain,  and  his  own  wish  to  be  employed  on  the 
occasion,  the  rights  of  Winchester  interposed  to  raise  a 
question.  Cuffe  was  prompt  enough  in  issuing  an  order  for 
each  ship  to  man  and  arm  two  boats,  making  six  in  -ill,  and 


304  LE     FEU-POLLEl 

^n  giving  the  necessary  details,  but  he  lost  some  precious 
time  in  deciding  as  to  who  was  to  command.  This  was 
the  cause  of  delay,  and  had  given  rise  to  certain  hopes  in 
Raoul,  that  facts  were  subsequently  to  destroy.  In  the  end, 
Sir  Frederick  prevailed  ;  his  rank  giving  him  a  decided  ad 
vantage;  and  the  division  of  boats  that  was  now  approaching 
was  under  his  orders. 

Raoul  saw  he  had  rather  more  than  an  hour  to  spare. 
To  fight  the  felucca,  unsupported,  against  so  many  enemies, 
and  that  in  a  cairn,  was  quite  out  of  the  question.  That 
small,  low  craft  might  destroy  a  few  of  her  assailants,  but 
she  would  inevitably  be  carried  at  the  first  onset.  There 
was  not  time  to  get  the  ballast  and  other  equipments  into 
the  lugger,  so  as  to  render  her  capable  of  a  proper  resist 
ance  ;  nor  did  even  she  offer  the  same  advantages  for  a 
defence,  unless  in  quick  motion,  as  the  ruins.  It  was  deter 
mined,  therefore,  to  make  the  best  disposition  of  the  two 
vessels  that  circumstances  would  allow,  while  the  main 
dependence  should  be  placed  on  the  solid  defences  of  stone. 
With  this  end,  Ithuel  was  directed  to  haul  his  felucca  to  a 
proper  berth  ;  the  first-lieutenant  was  ordered  to  get  as 
much  on  board  le  Feu-Follet  as  possible,  in  readiness  to 
profit  by  events;  while  Raoul  himself,  selecting  thirty  of 
his  best  men,  commenced  preparing  the  guns  on  the  rocks 
for  active  service. 

A  single  half-hour  wrought  a  material  change  in  the 
state  of  things.  Ithuel  had  succeeded  in  hauling  the  felucca 
into  a  berth  among  the  islets,  where  she  could  not  easily  be 
approached  by  boats,  and  where  her  carronades  might  be 
rendered  exceedingly  useful.  Much  of  the  ballast,  was  again 
on  board  the  lugger,  nnd  a  few  of  her  stores,  sufficient  to  ren 
der  her  tolerably  stiff,  in  the  event  of  a  breeze  springing1  up  ; 
and  Raoul  had  directed  the  two  inside  guns  of  the  felucca 
to  be  sent  on  board  her  and  mounted,  that  she  might  assist 
in  the  defence  with  a  flanking  fire.  The  great  difficulty 
which  exists  in  managing  a  force  at  anchor,  is  the  opportu 
nity  that  is  given  the  assailant  of  choosing  his  point  of 
attack,  and  by  bringing  several  of  the  vessels  in  a  line, 
cause  them  to  intercept  each  other's  fire.  In  order  to  pre- 
vent  this,  as  much  as  in  his  power,  Raoul  placed  his  two 
floating-batteries  out  of  line,  though  it  was  impossible  to 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  395 

make  such  a  disposition  of  them  as  would  not  leave  each 
exposed,  on  one  point  of  attack,  in  a  degree  greater  than 
any  other.  Nevertheless,  the  arrangement  was  so  made, 
that  either  a  vessel  or  the  ruins  might  aid  each  craft  respec 
tively  against  the  assault  on  her  weakest  point. 

When  his  own  guns  were  ready,  and  the  two  vessels 
moored,  Raoul  visited  both  the  lugger  and  felucca,  to 
inspect  their  preparations,  and  to  say  a  cheerful  word  to 
their  men.  He  found  most  things  to  his  mind ;  where  they 
were  not,  he  ordered  changes  to  be  made.  With  the  lieu 
tenant,  his  conversation  was  brief,  for  that  officer  was  one 
who  possessed  much  experience  in  this  very  sort  of  warfare, 
and  could  be  relied  on.  With  Ithuel,  he  was  more  commu 
nicative  ;  not  that  he  distrusted  the  citizen  of  the  Granite 
state,  but  that  he  knew  him  to  be  a  man  of  unusual 
resources,  could  the  proper  spirit  be  aroused  within  him. 

"  Bien,  Etooelle,"  he  said,  when  the  inspection  was 
ended,  "  much  will  depend  on  the  use  you  make  of  these 
two  guns." 

"  I  know  that,  as  well  as  you  do  yourself,  Captain  Rule," 
answered  the  other,  biting  off  at  least  two  inches  from  half  a 
yard  of  pig-tail;  "and,  what's  more,  I  know  that  I  fight 
with  a  rope  round  my  neck.  The  spiteful  devils  will  hardly 
overlook  all  that 's  passed ;  and  though  it  will  be  dead  ag'in 
all  law,  they  '11  work  out  their  eends  on  us  both,  if  we  don't 
work  out  our  eends  on  them.  To  my  mind,  the  last  will  be 
the  most  agreeable,  as  well  as  the  most  just." 

"  Bon  ! — Do  not  throw  away  your  shot,  Etooelle." 

«  1 1 — why,  Captain  Rule,  I  'm  nat'rally  economical.  That 
would  be  wasteful,  and  waste  I  set  down  for  a  sin.  The 
only  place  I  calculate  on  throwing  the  shot,  is  into  the  face 
and  eyes  of  the  English.  For  my  part,  I  wish  Nelson,  him 
self,  was  in  one  of  them  boats — I  wish  the  man  no  harm 
but  I  do  wish  he  was  in  one  of  them  very  boats." 

"  And,  Etooelle,  I  do  not.  It  is  bad  enough  as  it  is,  entre 
nous ;  and  Nelson  is  very  welcome  to  stay  on  board  his 
Foudroyant ;  wild  ! — The  enemy  is  in  council ;  we  shall 
soon  hear  from  them.  Adieu,  mon  ami  ;  remember  our  two 
Republiques  /" 

Raoul  squeezed  Ithuel's  hand,  and  entered  his  boat.  The 
distance  to  the  ruin  was  trifling,  but  it  was  necessary  to 


390  LE     FEU-FOLbET. 

make  a  small  circuit  in  order  to  reach  it.  While  doing  this, 
the  young  mariner  discovered  a  boat  pulling  from  the  direc 
tion  of  the  marinella,  at  the  foot  of  the  Scaricatojo,  which 
had  got  so  near,  unseen,  as,  at  first,  to  startle  him  by  its 
proximity.  A  second  look,  however,  satisfied  him  that  no 
cause  of  apprehension  existed,  in  that  quarter.  His  eye 
could  not  be  deceived.  The  boat  contained  Ghita  and  her 
uncle ;  the  latter  rowing,  and  the  former  seated  in  the  stern, 
with  her  head  bowed  to  her  knees,  apparently  in  tears. 
Raoul  was  alone,  sculling  the  light  yawl  with  a  single  hand, 
and  he  exerted  himself  to  meet  these  unexpected,  and,  in  the 
circumstances,  unwelcome  visiters,  as  far  as  possible  from 
the  rocks.  Presently  the  two  boats  lay  side  by  side. 

"  What  means  this,  Ghita  !"  the  young  man  exclaimed  j 
"  do  you  not  see  the  English,  yonder ;  at  this  moment 
making  their  preparations  to  attack  us.  In  a  few  minutes 
we  shall  be  in  the  midst  of  a  battle,  and  thou  here !" 

"  I  see  it  all,  now,  Raoul,"  was  the  answer,  "  though  we 
did  not  on  quitting  the  shore ;  but  we  would  not  turn  back, 
having  once  come  upon  the  Bay.  I  was  the  first  in  St.  Agata 
to  discover  the  evil  that  had  befallen  thee  ;  from  that  moment 
I  have  never  ceased  to  entreat  my  uncle,  until  he  has  con 
sented  to  come  hither." 

"  With  what  motive,  Ghita?"  asked  Raoul,  with  sparkling 
eyes — "  at  length  thou  relentest — wilt  become  my  wife !  In 
my  adversity,  thou  rememberest  thou  art  a  woman  !" 

"  Not  exactly  that,  dear  Raoul ;  but  I  cannot  desert  thee, 
altogether,  in  this  strait.  The  same  objection  exists  now,  I 
fear,  that  has  ever  existed  to  our  union  ;  but  that  is  no  reason 
[  should  not  aid  thee.  We  have  many  friends  along  the 
heights,  here,  who  will  consent  to  conceal  thee ;  and  I  have 
come  to  carry  thee  and  the  American  to  the  shore,  until  an 
opportunity  offer  to  get  thee  to  thine  own  France." 

"  What !  desert  ces  braves,  Ghita,  at  a  moment  like  this ! 
—Not  to  possess  thy  hand,  dearest  girl,  could  I  be  guilty  ot 
an  act  so  base." 

"  Thy  situation  is  not  theirs.  The  condemnation  to  death 
hangs  over  thee,  Raoul ;  shouldstthou  again  fall  into  English 
hands,  there  will  be  no  mercy  for  thee." 

"  Assez-. — this  is  no  moment  for  argument.  The  English 
are  in  motion,  and  there  is  barely  time  for  thee  to  get  to  a 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  397 

safe  distance,  ere  they  begin  to  fire.  Heaven  bless  thee, 
Ghita !  This  care  of  thine  draws  my  heart  to  thee  closer 
than  ever;  but  we  must  now  separate.  Signor  Giuntotardi, 
pull  more  towards  Amain".  I  see  that  the  English  mean  to 
attack  us  from  the  side  of  the  land — pull  more  towards 
Amalfi." 

"  Thou  tellest  us  this  in  vain,  Raoul,"  Ghita  quietly,  but 
firmly  answered.  "  We  have  not  come  here  on  an  un 
meaning  errand — if  thou  refusest  to  go  with  us,  we  will 
remain  with  thee.  These  prayers,  that  thou  so  despisest, 
may  not  prove  useless." 

"  Ghita  ! — this  can  never  be.  We  are  without  cover— 
almost  without  defences — our  vessel  is  unfit  to  receive  thee, 
and  this  affair  will  be  very  different  from  that  off  Elba. 
Thou  would'st  not  willingly  distract  my  mind  with  care  for 
thee,  at  such  a  moment !" 

"  We  will  remain,  Raoul.  There  may  come  a  moment, 
when  thou  wilt  be  glad  to  have  the  prayers  of  believers. 
God  leadeth  us  hither,  either  to  take  thee  away,  or  to 
remain,  and  look  to  thy  eternal  welfare,  amid  the  din  of  war." 

Raoul  gazed  at  the  beautiful  enthusiast,  with  an  intensity 
of  love  and  admiration,  that  even  her  truthful  simplicity  had 
never  before  excited.  Her  mild  eyes  were  kindling  with 
holy  ardour,  her  cheeks  were  flushed,  and  something  like  the 
radiance  of  heaven  seemed  to  beam  upon  her  countenance. 
The  young  man  felt  that  time  pressed  ;  he  saw  no  hope  of 
overcoming  her  resolution,  in  season  to  escape  the  ap 
proaching  boats ;  and  it  might  be,  that  the  two  would  be 
safer  in  some  nook  of  the  ruins,  than  in  attempting  to  return 
to  the  shore.  Then,  that  never-dying,  but  latent,  wish  to 
have  Ghita  with  him,  aided  his  hasty  reasoning  and  he  de 
cided  to  permit  the  girl,  and  her  uncle,  to  come  upon  the 
islet,  that  he  was  to  defend  in  person. 

Some  signs  of  impatience  had  begun  to  manifest  them 
selves  among  his  people,  ere  Raoul  made  up  his  mind  to 
the  course  he  would  follow.  But,  when  he  landed,  support 
ing  Ghita,  that  chivalry  of  character,  and  homage  to  the 
sex,  which  distinguishes  the  southern  Frenchman,  changed 
the  current  of  feeling,  and  their  two  acquaintances  were 
received  with  acclamation.  The  acts  of  self-devotion  seemed 
heroic,  and  that  is  always  enough  to  draw  applause  among 
34 


898  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

a  people  so  keenly  alive  to  glory.  Still,  the  time  to  make 
the  necessary  dispositions  was  short.  Fortunately,  the 
surgeon  had  taken  his  post  on  this  islet,  as  the  probable  scene 
of  the  warmest  conflict,  and  he  had  contrived  to  make  his 
preparations  to  receive  the  hurt,  in  a  cavity  of  the  rock, 
behind  a  portion  of  the  ruin,  where  the  person  would  be 
reasonably  safe.  Raoul  saw  the  advantages  of  this  pcsi- 
tion,  and  he  led  Ghita  and  her  uncle  to  it,  without  pausing 
to  deliberate.  Here  he  tenderly  embraced  the  girl,  a  liberty 
Ghita  could  not  repel  at  such  a  moment ;  then  he  tore  him 
self  away,  to  attend  to  duties  which  had  now  become 
urgently  pressing. 

In  point  of  fact,  Sir  Frederick  Dashwood  had  made  his 
dispositions,  and  was  advancing  to  the  assault,  being  already 
within  the  range  of  grape.  For  the  obvious  reason  of  pre 
venting  the  French  from  attempting  to  escape  to  the  shore, 
he  chose  to  approach  from  that  side  himself,  an  arrange- 
ment  that  best  suited  Raoul ;  who,  foreseeing  the  probability 
of  the  course,  had  made  his  own  preparations  with  an  eye 
to  such  an  event: 

Of  boats,  there  were  eight  in  sight,  though  only  seven 
were  drawing  near,  and  were  in  line.  Six  had  strong 
crews,  were  armed,  and  were  evidently  fitted  for  action. 
Of  these,  three  had  light  boat-guns  in  their  bows,  while  the 
other  three  carried  small-arms-men,  only.  The  seventh 
boat  was  the  Terpsichore's  gig,  with  its  usual  crew,  armed ; 
though  it  was  used  by  the  commanding  officer  himself,  as  a 
sort  of  cheval  de  bataille,  in  the  stricter  meaning  of  the  term. 
In  other  words,  Sir  Frederick  Dashwood  pulled  through  the 
line  in  it,  to  give  his  orders,  and  encourage  his  people. 
The  eighth  boat,  which  kept  aloof,  quite  out  of  the  range  of 
grape,  was  a  shore-craft,  belonging  to  Capri,  in  which 
Andrea  Barrofaldi,  and  Vito  Viti  had  come,  expressly,  to 
witness  the  capture,  or  destruction,  of  their  old  enemy. 
When  Raoul  was  taken  in  the  Bay  of  Naples,  these  two 
worthies  fancied  that  their  mission  was  ended — that  they 
might  return,  with  credit,  to  Porto  Ferrajo,  and  again  hold 
up  their  heads,  with  dignity  and  self-complacency,  among 
the  functionaries  of  the  island.  But,  the  recent  escape,  and 
the  manner  in  which  they  had  been  connected  with  it, 
entirely  altered  the  state  of  things.  A  new  load  of  re- 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  399 

sponsibility  rested  on  their  shoulders ;  fresh  opprobrium 
was  to  be  met,  and  put  down  ;  and  the  last  acquisition  of 
ridicule,  promised  to  throw  the  first  proofs  of  their  simpli 
city  and  dullness  entirely  into  the  shade.  Had  not  Griffin 
and  his  associates  been  implicated  in  the  affair,  it  is  prob 
able  the  vice-governatore  and  the  podesta  would  have  been 
still  more  obnoxious  to  censure  ;  but,  as  things  were,  the 
sly  looks,  open  jests,  and  oblique  innuendoes  of  all  they  met 
in  the  ship,  had  determined  the  honest  magistrates,  to  retire 
to  their  proper  pursuits,  on  terra-firma,  at  the  earliest 
occasion.  In  the  mean  time,  to  escape  persecution,  and 
to  obtain  a  modicum  of  the  glory  that  was  now  to  be  earned, 
they  had  hired  a  boat,  and  accompanied  the  expedition,  in 
the  character  of  amateurs.  It  formed  no  part  of  their  plan, 
however,  to  share  in  the  combat ;  a  view  of  its  incidents 
being  quite  as  much,  as  Vito  Viti  strongly  maintained,  when 
his  friend  made  a  suggestion  to  the  contrary,  as  was  neces 
sary  to  vindicate  their  conduct  and  courage,  in  the  judgment 
of  every  Elban. 

"  Cospetto  !"  he  exclaimed,  in  the  warmth  of  opposition — 
"  Signor  Andrea,  your  propositions  are  more  in  the  spirit  of 
an  unreflecting  boy,  than  in  that  of  a  discreet  vice-governa 
tore.  If  we  take  swords  and  muskets  in  the  boat,  as  you 
appear  to  wish,  the  devil  rnay  tempt  us  to  use  them  ;  and 
what  does  either  of  us  know  of  such  things?  The  pen  is  a 
more  befitting  weapon  for  a  magistrate,  than  a  keen-edged 
sword,  or  a  foul-smelling  piece  of  fire-arms.  I  am  amazed 
that  your  native  sensibilities  do  not  teach  you  this.  There 
is  an  indecency  in  men's  mistaking  their  duties,  and,  of  all 
things  on  earth,  heaven  protect  me  from  falling  into  such  an 
error  !  A  false  position  is  despicable." 

"Thou  art  warm,  friend  Vito,  and  that  without  occasion. 
For  my  part,  I  think  men  should  be  prepared  for  any  emer 
gency  that  may  happen.  History  is  full  of  examples  in 
which  civilians  and  scholars,  ay,  even  churchmen,  have 
distinguished  themselves  by  feats  of  arms,  cm  proper  occa 
sions ;  and  I  confess  to  a  philosophical  curiosity  to  ascertain 
the  sensations  with  which  men  seek  and  expose  life." 

"  That's  your  besetting  weakness,  Signor  Andrea,  and 
the  emergency  drives  me  so  far  to  lose  sight  of  the  respect 
that  a  podesta  owes  to  a  vicc-governatore,  as  to  feel  cor* 


400  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

strained  to  tell  you  as  much.  Philosophy  plays  the  very 
devil  with  your  judgment.  With  about  half  of  what  you 
possess,  the  Grand  Duke  couldn't  boast  of  a  more  sensible 
subject.  As  for  history,  I  don't  believe  anything  that's  in 
it;  more  especially  since  the  nations  of  the  north  have  be 
gun  to  write  it.  Italy  once  had  histories ;  but  where  are 
they  now  1  For  my  parr,  I  never  heard  of  a  man's  fighting 
who  was  not  regularly  bred  to  arms;  unless  it  might  be 
some  fellow  who  had  reason  to  wish  he  had  never  been 
born." 

"  I  can  name  you  several  men  of  letters,  in  particular, 
whose  fame  as  soldiers  is  only  eclipsed  by  that  earned  by 
their  more  peaceful  labours,  honest  Vito — Michael  Angelo 
Buonaretti,  for  instance,  to  say  nothing  of  various  warlike 
popes,  cardinals,  and  bishops.  But  we  can  discuss  this 
matter  after  the  battle  is  over.  Thou  seest  the  English  are 
already  quitting  their  ships,  and  we  shall  be  in  the  rear  of 
the  combatants." 

"  So  much  the  better,  Corpo  di  Bacco  ! — who  ever  heard 
of  an  army  that  carries  its  brains  in  its  head,  like  a  human 
being?  No — no — Signer  Andrea;  I  have  provided  myself 
with  a  string  of  beads,  which  I  intend  to  count  over,  with 
aves  and  paters,  while  the  firing  lasts,  like  a  good  Catholic; 
if  you  are  so  hot,  and  bent  on  making  one  in  this  battle,  you 
may  proclaim  in  a  loud  voice  one  of  the  speeches  of  the 
ancient  consuls  and  generals,  such  as  you  will  find  them,  in 
any  of  the  old  books." 

Vito  Viti  prevailed.  The  vice-governatore  was  obliged 
.o  leave  the  arms  behind  him,  and  this,  too,  without  making 
any  great  difference  in  the  result  of  the  day's  fighting,  inas 
much  as  the  boatmen  employed,  in  addition  to  asking  a  triple 
price  for  their  time  and  labour,  obstinately  refused  to  go 
nearer  to  the  French  than  half  a  league.  Distant  as  this 
was,  however,  Raoul,  while  reconnoitring  the  enemy  with  a 
glass,  detected  the  presence  of  the  two  Elbans.  He  laughed 
outright  at  the  discovery,  notwithstanding  the  many  serious 
reflections  that  naturally  pressed  upon  his  mind  at  such  a 
moment. 

But  this  was  not  the  time  to  indulge  in  merriment,  and 
the  countenance  of  our  hero  almost  immediately  resumed 
its  look  of  care.  Now,  that  he  felt  ce/rain  of  the  manner  in 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  401 

which  the  English  intended  to  assail  him,  he  had  new  orders 
to  give  to  all  his  subordinates.  As  has  been  said,  the 
principal  point  was  to  make  the  different  fiuns  support  each 
other;  in  order  to  do  this  effectually,  it  became  necessary  to 
spring  the  lugger's  broadside  round  more  obliquely  towards 
the  felucca;  which  accomplished,  Raoul  deemed  his  arrange 
ments  complete. 

Then  followed  the  pause  which  ordinarily  prevails  between 
preparation  and  the  battle.  This,  in  a  vessel,  is  always  a 
period  of  profound  and  solemn  stillness.  So  important  to 
concert,  order,  and  intelligent  obedience,  in  the  narrow 
compass,  and  amid  the  active  evolutions  of  a  ship,  does 
silence  become  at  such  moments,  that  one  of  the  first  duties 
of  discipline  is  to  inculcate  its  absolute  necessity ;  and  a 
thousand  men  shall  be  seen  standing  in  their  batteries,  ready 
to  serve  the  fierce  engines  of  war,  without  a  sound  arising 
among  them  all,  of  sufficient  force  to  still  the  washing  of  the 
gentlest  waves.  It  is  true,  the  French  were  not  now  strictly 
arrayed  for  a  naval  action  ;  but  they  carried  into  the  present 
conflict,  the  habits  and  discipline  of  the  peculiar  branch  of 
service  to  which  they  belonged. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

"His  back  against  a  rock  he  bore, 

And  firmly  placed  his  foot  before: — 
*Come  one,  corm;  all !  this  rock  shall  fly 

From  its  firm  base  as  soon  as  I !'  " 

Lady  of  the  Lake. 

OUR  battle  will  be  told  with  greater  clearness,  if  the  read- 
er  is  furnished  with  an  outline  of  its  order.  As  has  been 
more  than  once  intimated  already,  Sir  Frederick' Dashwood 
had  made  all  his  preparations  to  commence  the  assault  from 
the  side  of  the  land,  the  object  being  to  prevent  a  retreat  to 
the  shore.  Raoul  had  foreseen  the  probability  of  this,  and, 
with  a  special  view  to  prevent  the  two  vessels  from  being 
34* 


LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

easily  boarded,  he  had  caused  both  to  be  placed  in  such  po 
sitions  as  left  low  barriers  of  rocks  between  them  and  that 
quarter  of  the  bay.  These  rocks  were  portions  that  were 
not  visible  at  any  distance,  being  just  awash,  as  it  is  termed, 
or  on  a  level  with  the  surface  of  the  water ;  offering  the 
same  sort  of  protection  against  an  attack  in  boats,  that  ditches 
afford  in  cases  of  assaults  on  terra-firma.  This  was  a  ma- 
ferial  advantage  to  the  expected  defence,  and  our  hero  showed 
his  discrimination  in  adopting  it.  On  board  the  felucca, 
which  was  named  The  Holy  Michael,  was  Ithuel  with  fifteen 
men,  and  two  twelve-pound  carronades,  with  a  proper  supply 
of  small-arms  and  ammunition.  The  Granite-man  was  the 
only  officer,  though  he  had  with  him  three  or  four  of  the 
lugger's  best  men. 

Le  Feu-Follet  was  confided  to  the  care  of  Jules  Pintard, 
her  first-lieutenant,  who  had  under  his  immediate  orders 
some  five-and-twenty  of  the  crew,  to  work  four  more  of  the 
carronades.  The  lugger  had  a  part  only  of  her  ballast,  in, 
and  something  like  a  third  of  her  stores.  The  remainder 
of  both  stiH  lay  on  the  adjacent  rocks,  in  waiting-  for  the 
result  of  the  day.  She  was  thought,  however,  to  be  suffi 
ciently  steady  for  any  service  that  might  be  expected  of  her 
\vhile  moored,  and  might  even  have  carried  whole  sail,  in 
light  winds,  with  perfect  safety.  All  four  of  her  guns  were 
brought  over  on  one  side,  in  readiness  to  use  in  battery  in 
the  same  direction.  By  this  arrangement  the  French  essen 
tially  increased  their  means  of  defence,  bringing  all  their 
artillery  into  use  at  the  same  time;  an  expedient  that  could 
not  have  been  adopted  had  they  been  fought  in  broadside. 

Raoul  had  planted  among  the  ruins  the  remaining  four 
guns.  With  the  aid  of  a  few  planks,  the  breechings,  tackles, 
and  other  appliances  of  a  vessel,  this  had  been  easily  effect 
ed  ;  and,  on  reviewing  his  work,  he  had  great  confidence  in 
the  permanency  of  his  pieces.  The  ruins  themselves  were 
no  great  matter;  at  a  little  distance  they  were  scarcely  per 
ceptible  ;  though,  aided  by  the  formation  of  the  natural  rock, 
and  by  removing  some  of  the  stones  to  more  favourable  po 
sitions,  they  answered  the  purpose  of  the  seamen  sufficiently 
well.  The  carronades  were  placed  en-barbette;  but  a  fall 
ing  of  the  surface  of  the  rock  enabled  the  men  to  cover 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  403 

even  their  heads,  by  stepping  back  a  few  feet.  The  dangei 
would  be  much  the  greatest  to  those  whose  duty  it  would  be 
to  reload. 

The  surgeon.  Carlo  Giuntotardi,  and  Ghita,  were  estab 
lished  in  a  cavity  of  the  rocks,  perfectly  protected  against 
missiles,  so  long  as  the  enemy  continued  on  the  side  next 
the  land,  and  yet  within  fifty  feet  of  the  battery.  Here  the 
former  made  the  usual  bloody-looking  if  not  bloody-minded 
preparations  for  applying  tourniquets  and  for  amputating,  all 
unheeded,  however,  by  his  two  companions,  both  of  whom 
were  lost  to.  the  scene  around  them,  in  devout  prayer. 

Just  as  these  several  dispositions  were  completed,  Ithuel, 
^vho  ever  kept  an  eye  to  windward,  called  out  to  Raoul,  and* 
inquired  if  it  might  not  be  well  to  run  the  yards  up  to  the 
mast-heads,  as  they  would  be  more  out  of  the  way  in  their 
place  aloft  than  littering  the  decks.  There  was  no  possible 
objection  to  the  measure,  it  bein<r  a  dead  calm,  and  both  the 
lugger  and  the  felucca  swayed  their  yards  into  their  places, 
the  sails  being  bent,  and  hanging  in  the  brails.  This  is  the 
ordinary  state  of  craft  of  the  latter  rig,  though  not  always 
that  of  luggers;  and  the  Granite-man, "rnindfu-1  that  his  own 
gear  was  down,  in  consequence  of  having  been  lowered  by 
her  former  owners  previously  to  the  capture,  bethought  him 
of  the  expediency  of  getting  everything  ready  for  a  run. 
He  wished  the  lugger  to  be  in  an  equal  state  of  preparation, 
it  being  plain  enough  that  two  to  be  pursued,  would  embar- 
rrss  the  English,  in  a  chase,  twice  as  much  as  one.  This 
was  the  reason  of  his  suggestion ;  and  he  felt  happier  for  see 
ing  it  attended  to. 

On  the  other  side,  all  preliminary  difficulties  had  been 
disposed  of.  Captain  Sir  Frederick  Dash  wood  was  in  com 
mand,  and  lieutenants  Winchester  and  Griffin,  after  a  few- 
open  protestations,  certain  grimaces,  and  divers  secret  curses, 
were  fain  to  submit.  The  discussion,  however,  had  produced 
one  result,  not  altogether  unfavourable  to  the  Proserpincs. 
CufFe  sent  four  of  her  boats  against  the  enemy,  while  he 
restricted  the  Terpsichore  to  two,  including  her  gig,  and  the 
Ringdove  to  two.  Each  ship  sent  her  launch,  as^  a  matter 
of  course,  with  a  twelve-pound  boat-gun  on  its  grating. 
Griffin  was  in  that  of  the  Proserpine;  .Mr.  Stothard,  the 
second  of  the  other  frigate,  was  in  the  Terpsichore's ;  and 


404  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

McBean,  as  of  right,  commanded  the  Ringdove's.  Griffin 
was  in  the  first  cutter  of  his  own  ship,  and  Clinch  had 
charge  of  the  second.  The  third  was  headed  by  Strand, 
whose  call  was  to  have  precedence  on  the  occasion.  The 
other  boats  had  subordinates,  from  their  respective  ships. 
All  were  in  good  heart ;  and,  while  all  expected  a  severe 
struggle  for  her,  knowing  the  desperate  character  of  their 
enemy,  every  man  in  the  boats  felt  confident  that  the  lugger 
was  finally  to  fall  into  British  hands.  Still,  a  grave  consi 
deration  of  the  possible  consequences  to  the  actors,  mingled 
with  the  exultation  of  the  more  reflecting  men  among  the 
assailants. 

•  Sir  Frederick  Dash  wood,  who  ought  to  have  felt  the  moral 
responsibility  of  his  command,  of  all  the  higher  officers  pre 
sent,  was  the  most  indifferent  to  consequences.  Constitu 
tionally  brave,  personal  considerations  had  little  influence  on 
him  ;  habitually  confident  of  English  prowess,  he  expected 
victory  and  credit  as  a  matter  of  course;  and,  favoured  by 
birth,  fortune  and  parliamentary  interest,  he  gave  himself 
no  trouble  as  to  the  possibility  of  a  failure,  certain  (though 
not  avowing  that  certainty  even  to  himself,)  that  any  little 
mishap  would  be  covered  by  the  broad  mantle  of  the  accident, 
that  had  so  early  raised  him  to  the  rank  he  held. 

In  making  his  dispositions  for  the  fight,  however,  Sir  Frede 
rick  had  not  disdained  the  counsels  of  men  older  and  more 
experienced  than  himself.  Cuffe  had  given  him  much  good 
advice,  before  they  parted,  and  Winchester  and  Strand  had 
been  particularly  recommended  to  him  as  seamen  whose 
suggestions  might  turn  out  to  be  useful. 

"I  send  a  master's-mate  named  Clinch,  in  charge  of  one 
of  our  boats,  too,  Dashwood,"  added  the  senior  captain,  as 
he  concluded  his  remarks:  "  who  is  one  of  the  most  experi 
enced  seamen  in  the  Proserpine.  He  has  seen  much  boat- 
service,  and  has  always  behaved  himself  well.  A  vile  prac 
tice  of  drinking  has  kept  the  poor  fellow  under;  Tfljl  he  is 
now  determined  to  make  an  effort,  and  I  beg  you  will  put 
him  forward  to-day,  that  he  may  have  a  cnance.  Jack 
Clinch  has  the  right  sort  of  stuff  in  him,  if  opportunities  offer 
to  bring  it  out." 

"  I  flatter  myself,  Cuffe,  that  all  hands  will  meet  with 
opportunity  enough,"  answered  Sir  Frederick,  in  his  drawl- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  405 

ing  way  ;  "  for,  I  intend  to  put  'em  all  in  together,  like  a 
thorough  pack  coming  in  at  the  death.  I've  seen  Lord 
Echo's  harriers  so  close,  at  the  end  of  a  long  chase,  that  you 
might  have  covered  the  whole  with  this  ship's  main-course  5 
and  I  intend  it  shall  be  so  with  our  boats,  to-day.  By  the 
way,  Cuffc,  that  would  be  a  pretty  figure  for  a  despatch,  and 
would  make  Bronte  smile — ha  ! — wouldn't  it?" 

"  D n  the  figure,  the  harriers,  and  the  despatch,  too, 

Dashwood  ;  first  win  the  day,  before  you  begin  to  write 
poetry  about  it.  Bronte,  as  you  call  Nelson,  has  lightning 
in  him,  as  well  as  thunder,  and  there  isn't  an  admiral  in  the 
service,  who  cares  less  for  blood  and  private  rank  than  him 
self.  The  way  to  make  him  smile,  is  to  do  a  thing  neatly 
and  well.  For  God's  sake,  now,  be  careful  of  the  men ; — 
we  are  short-handed,  as  it  is,  and  can't  afford  such  another 
scrape,  as  that  off  Porto  Ferrajo." 

"  Never  fear  for  us,  Cuffe;  you'll  never  miss  the  men  I 
shall  expend." 

Every  captain  had  a  word  to  say  to  his  officers  ;  but  none 
other  worth  recording,  with  the  exception  of  what  passed 
between  Lyon  and  his  first-lieutenant. 

"  Ye  '11  remember,  Airchy,  that  a  ship  can  have  a  repu 
tation  for  economy,  as  well  as  a  man.-  There's  several  of 
our  own  countrymen  about  the  Admiralty  just  now  ;  and 
next  to  courage  and  enterprise,  they  view  the  expenditures 
with  the  keenest  eyes.  I  've  known  an  admiral  reach  a  red 
ribbon  just  on  that  one  quality ;  his  accounts  showing 
cheaper  ships  and  cheaper  squadrons  than  any  in  the  sair- 
vice.  Ye 'II  all  do  your  duties,  for  the  honour  o'  Scotland  ; 
but  there's  six  or  seven  Leith  and  Glasgow  lads  in  the  boats, 
that  it  may  be  as  well  not  to  let  murder  themselves,  out  of 
a'  need.  I  've  put  the  whole  of  the  last  draft  from  the  river 
guard-ship,  into  the  boats,  and  with  them  there's  no  great 
occasion  to  be  tender.  They  're  the  sweepings  of  the 
Thames  and  Wapping ;  and  quite  half  of  them  would  have 
boen  at  Botany  Bay  before  this,  had  they  not  been  sent 
here." 

"  Does  the  law  about  being  in  sight,  apply  to*  the  boats, 
or  to  the  ships,  the  day,  Captain  Lyon?" 

"  To  the  boats,  man  ;  or  who  the  de'il  do  you  think  would 

irve  in  them !     It 's  u  pitiful  affair,  altogether,  as  it  has 


406  LE    FEU-POLLET. 

turned  out ;  the  honour  being  little  more  than  the  profit,  1 
opine;  and  yet  'twill  never  do  to  let  old  Scotia  lag  astuirn, 
in  a  hand-to-hand  battle.  Ye  'II  remember,  we  have  a  name 
for  coming  to  the  claymore;  and  so  'do  yer  best,  every 
mithcr's  son  o'  ye." 

McBean  grunted  an  assent,  and  went  about  his  work  as 
methodically  as  if  it  were  a  sum  in  algebra.  The  second- 
lieutenant  of  the  Terpsichore  was  a  young  Irishman,  with  a 
sweet,  musical  voice  ;  and,  as  the  boats  leit  the  ships,  he  was 
with  difficulty  kept  in  the  line,  straining  to  move  ahead,  with 
his  face  on  a  grin,  and  his  cheers  stimulating  the  men  to 
undue,  or  unreasonable  efforts.  Such  is  an  outline  of  the 
English  materials  on  this  occasion  ;  both  parties  being  now 
ready  for  the  struggle.  If  we  add  that  it  was  already  past 
two,  and  that  all  hands  began  to  feel  some  anxiety  on  the 
score  of  the  wind,  which  might  soon  be  expected,  the  pre 
liminary  picture  is  sufficiently  sketched. 

Sir  Frederick  Dashwood  had  formed  his  line  about  a  mile 
within  the  rocks,  with  one  launch  in  the  centre,  and  one  on 
each  extremity.  That  in  the  centre  was  commanded  by 
O'Leary,  his  own  second-lieutenant ;  that  on  the  left  of  his 
force  by  McBean,  and  the  one  on  its  right  by  Winchester. 
O'Leary  was  flanked  by  Griffin  and  Clinch,  in  the  Proser 
pine's  cutters,  while  the  intervals  were  filled  by  the  remaining 
boats.  The  captain  kept  moving  about  in  his  own  gig,  giving 
his  directions,  somewhat  confusedly,  beyond  a  question  ;  yet 
with  a  cheerfulness  and  indifference  of  air  that  aided  in  keep 
ing  alive  the  general  gaite  de  c&ur.  When  all  was  ready, 
he  gave  the  signal  to  advance,  pulling,  for  the  first  half  miie, 
chivalrously  in  advance  of  the  line,  with  his  own  gig. 

Raoul  had  noted  the  smallest  movement  of  the  enemy 
with  a  glass,  and  with  grave  attention.  Nothing  escaped 
his  jealous  watchfulness  ;  and  he  saw  that  Sir  Frederick  had 
made  a  capital  error  in  the  outset.  Had  he  strengthened 
his  centre,  by  putting  all  his  carronades  in  the  same  battery, 
as  it  might  be,  the  chances  for  success  would  have  been 
doubled  ;  but,  by  dividing  them,  he  so  far  weakened  their 
effect,  as  *o  render  it  certain  no  one  of  the  three  French  bat 
teries  could  be  wholly  crippled  by  their  fire.  This,  of 
course,  left  the  difficult  task  to  the  English  of  pushing  up  to 


LE     PEU-FOLLET.  407 

their  hand-to-hand  work,  under  the  embarrassment  of  receiv- 
ng  constant  discharges  of  grape  and  canister. 

The  few  minutes  that  intervened  between  the  order  to 
advance,  and  the  moment  when  the  boats  got  within  a  quar 
ter  of  a  mile  of  the  rock,  were  passed  in  a  profound  quiet, 
neither  side  making  any  noise,  though  Raoul  had  no  small 
difficulty  in  restraining  the  constitutional  impatience  of  his 
own  men  to  begin.  A  boat  presents  so  small  an  object, 
however,  to  artillerists  as  little  skilled  as  seamen  generally 
ara,  who  depend  more  on  general  calculations  than  on  the 
direct  or  scientific  aim,  the  latter  being  usually  defeated 
by  the  motion  of  their  vessels,  that  he  was  unwilling  to  throw 
away  even  his  canister.  A  Frenchman  himself,  however,  he 
could  refrain  no  longer,  and  he  pointed  a  carronade,  firing  it 
with  his  own  hand.  This  was  the  commencement  of  the 
strife.  All  the  other  guns  in  the  ruin  followed,  and  the 
lugger  kept  time,  as  it  might  be  by  note.  The  English  rose, 
gave  three  cheers,  and  each  launch  discharged  her  gun.  At 
the  same  instant,  the  two  men  who  held  the  matches  in  the 
felucca,  applied  them  briskly  to  the  vents  of  their  respective 
pieces.  To  their  surprise,  neither  exploded,  and,  on  examina 
tion,  it  was  discovered  that  the  priming  had  vanished.  To 
own  the  truth,  he  of  the  Granite  state  had  slily  brushed  his 
hand  over  the  guns,  and  robbed  them  of  this  great  essential 
of  their  force.  He  held  the  priming-horns  in  his  own  hands, 
and  resolutely  refused  to  allow  them  to  pass  into  those  of 
any  other  person. 

It  was  fortunate  Ithuel  was  known  to  be  such  a  deter 
mined  hater  of  the  English,  else  might  his  life  have  been  the 
forfeit  of  this  seeming  act  of  treachery.  But  he  meditated 
no  such  dereliction  of  duty.  Perfectly  aware  of  the 'impos 
sibility  of  preventing  his  men  from  firing,  did  they  possess 
the  means,  this  deliberate  and  calculating  personage  had 
resorted  to  this  expedient  to  reserve  his  own  effort,  until,  in 
his  judgment,  it  might  prove  the  most  available.  His  men 
murmured,  but,  too  much  excited  to  deliberate,  they  poured 
in  a  discharge  of  musketry,  as  the  only  means  of  annoying 
the  enemy  then  left  them.  Even  Raoul  glanced  aside,  a 
little  wondering  at  not  hearing  the  felucca's  carronades,  but 
perceiving  her  people  busy  with  their  fire-arms,  he  believed 
all  right. 


408  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

The  first,  discharge,  in  such  an  affair,  is  usually  the  most 
destructive.  On  the  present  occasion,  the  firing  was  not 
without  serious  effects.  The  English,  much  the  most  ex 
posed,  suffered  in  proportion.  Four  men  were  hurt  in  Win 
chester's  boat;  two  in  Griffin's;  six  or  eight  men  in  the 
other  launches  and  cutters,  and  one  of  Sir  Frederick's  gig- 
men  was  shot  through  the  heart;  a  circumstance  which 
induced  that  officer  to  drop  alongside  of  a  cutter,  and  ex 
change  the  dead  body  for  a  living  man. 

On  the  rocks,  but  one.  man  was  injured.  A  round-shot 
had  hit  a  stone,  shivered  it  in  fragments,  and  struck  down  a 
valuable  seaman,  just  as  he  was  advancing,  with  a  gallant 
mien,  to  spunge  one  of  the  guns. 

"Poor  Josef!"  said  Raoul,  as  he  witnessed  the  man's 
fall ;  "carry  him  to  the  surgeon,  mes  braces." 

"  Mon  Capitaine — Josef  is  dead." 

This  decided  the  matter,  arid  the  body  was  laid  aside, 
while  another  stepped  forward  and  spunged  the  gun.  At 
that  moment  Raoul  found  leisure  to  walk  a  yard,  or  two 
towards  the  rear,  in  order  to  ascertain  if  the  cover  of  Ghita 
were  sufficient.  The  girl  was  on  her  knees,  lost  to  ail 
around  her,  though,  could  he  have  read  her  heart,  he  would 
have  found  it  divided  between  entreaties  to  the  Deity  and 
love  for  himself. 

The  lugger  sustained  no  harm.  O'Leary  had  overshot 
her,  in  his  desire  to  make  his  missiles  reach.  Not  even  a 
canister  had  lodged  in  her  spars,  or  torn  her  sails.  The 
usual  luck  appeared  to  attend  her,  and  the  people  on  board 
fought  with  renewed  confidence  and  zeal.  Not  so  with  the 
felucca,  however.  Here  the  fire  of  the  English  had  been 
the  most  destructive.  The  wary  and  calculating  McBeari 
had  given  his  attention  to  this  portion  of  the  French  defences, 
and  the  consequences  partook  of  the  sagacity  and  discretion 
of  the  man.  A  charge  of  canister  had  swept  across  the 
felucca's  decks,  more  than  decimating  Ithuel's  small  force; 
for  it  actually  killed  one,  and  wounded  three  of  his  party. 

But,  the  din  once  commenced,  there  was  no  leisure  to 
pause.  The  fire  was  kept  up  with  animation,  on  both  sides, 
and  men  fell  rapidly.  The  boats  cheered  and  pressed  ahead, 
the  water  becoming  covered  with  a  wide  sheet  of  smoke. 

In  moments  like  this,  the  safest  course  for  the  assailants 


LE     FETJ-FOLLET.  409 

is  to  push  on.  This  the  English  did,  firing  and  cheering  at 
every  fathom  they  advanced,  but  suffering  also.  The  con 
stant  discharge  of  the  carronades,  and  the  total  absence  of 
wind,  soon  caused  a  body  of  smoke  to  collect  in  front  of  the 
rock,  while  the  English  brought  on  with  them  another,  trail 
ing  along  the  water,  the  effect  of  their  own  fire.  The  two 
shrouds  soon  united,  and  then  there  was  a  minute  when  the 
boats  could  only  be  seen  with  indistinctness.  This  was 
Ithuel's  moment.  Perceiving  that  the  ten  or  twelve  men 
•who  remained  to  him  were  engrossed  with  their  muskets,  he 
pointed  the  two  carronades  himself,  and  primed  them  from 
the  horns  which  he  had  never  quitted.  For  the  felucca  he 
felt  no  present  concern.  Winchester,  and  all  the  boats  in 
the  centre  of  the  English  line,  were  most  in  advance,  the  fire 
of  the  ruins  urging  them  to  the  greatest  exertion.  Then 
McBean,  beside  being  more  distant,  could  not  cross  the  rock 
in  front  of  the  felucca,  without  making  a  circuit,  and  he  must, 
as  yet,  be  ignorant  of  the  "existence  of  the  impediment. 
Ithuel  was  cool  and  calculating  by  nature,  as  well  as  by 
habit ;  but  this  immunity  from  present  risk,  probably  in 
creased  the  immediate  possession  of  qualities  so  important  in 
battle.  His  carronades  were  loaded  to  their  muzzles,  with 
bags  of  bullets,  and  he  beckoned  to  the  best  seaman  of  his 
party  to  take  one  of  the  matches,  while  he  used  the  other 
himself,  each  holding  a  monkey's-tail  in  one  hand,  in  readi 
ness  to  train  the  light  gun,  as  circumstances  required.  The 
pieces  had  been  depressed  by  Jthuel  himself,  in  the  midst  of 
the  fray,  and  nothing  remained  but  to  wait  the  moment  for 
using  them. 

This  moment  was  now  near.  The  object  of  the  English 
was  to  land  on  the  principal  islet,  and  to  carry  the  ruin  by 
storm.  In  order  to  do  this,  all  the  boats  of  their  centre 
converged  in  their  courses  to  the  same  point,  and  the  smoke 
being  driven  off,  by  each  concussion  of  the  guns,  a  dark 
cluster  of  the  enemy  diverged  from  the  ragged  outline  of  the 
vapour,  within  fifty  yards  of  the  intended  point  of  landing. 
Ithuel  and  his  companion  were  ready.  Together  they 
sighted,  and  together  they  fired.  This  unexpected  discharge 
from  a  quarter  that  had  been  so  comparatively  silent,  sur 
prised  both  friends  and  foes,  and  it  drove  a  fresh  mantle  of 
35 


410  LB    FEU-FOLLET. 

smoke  momentarily  athwart  the  rock  and  the  open  space  in 
its  front. 

A  cry  arose  from  the  dense  shroud  of  battle,  that  differed 
from  the  shouts  of  success  and  courage.  Physical  agony 
had  extorted  shrieks  from  the  stoutest  hearts,  and  even  the 
French  in  the  ruins  paused  to  look  for  the  next  act  of  the 
desperate  drama.  Raoul  seized  the  opportunity  to  prepare 
for  the  expected  hand-to-hand  struggle ;  but  it  was  unneces 
sary.  The  cessation  in  the  firing  was  common  in  both 
parties,  and  it  gave  the  vapour  a  minute  in  which  to  lift 
the  curtain  from  the  water. 

When  the  late  obstacle  was  raised  high  enough  to  admit 
of  a  view,  the  result  became  evident.  All  the  English  boats 
but  one  had  scattered,  and  were  pulling  swiftly,  in  different 
directions,  from  the  scene  of  slaughter.  By  taking  this 
course  they  diverted  and  divided  the  fire  of  their  enemies  ; 
an  expedient  of  which  it  would  have  been  happier  had  they 
bethought  them  earlier.  The  remaining  boat  was  a  cutter 
of  the  Terpsichore.  It  had  received  the  weight  of  canister 
from  Ithuel's  own  gun,  and  of  sixteen  men  it  had  contained 
when  it  left  the  frigate's  side,  but  two  escaped.  These  fel 
lows  had  thrown  themselves  into  the  sea,  and  were  picked 
up  by  passing  boats.  The  cutter  itself  came  drifting  slowly 
in  towards  the  rock,  announcing  the  nature  of  its  fearful 
cargo,  by  the  groans  and  cries  that  arose  from  out  its  bosom. 
Raoul  stopped  the  fire,  equally  from  humanity  and  policy, 
after  a  few  discharges  at  the  retreating  boats ;  and  the  first 
act  of  the  battle  closed. 

The  breathing  time  gave  both  parties  a  desirable  oppor 
tunity  for  ascertaining  in  what  positions  they  were  left.  In 
the  whole,  the  French  had  lost  the  services  of  eleven  men ; 
all,  with  the  exception  of  Ithuel's  four,  in  the  ruin.  The 
loss  of  the  English  amounted  to  thirty-three,  including  seve 
ral  officers.  The  master's-mate,  who  had  commanded  the 
crippled  cutter,  lay  over  its  stern,  flat  on  his  back,  with  no 
less  than  five  musket-balls  through  his  chest.  His  passage 
into  another  state  of  existence  had  been  sudden  as  the  flight 
of  the  electric  spark.  Of  his  late  companions  several  were 
dead  also,  though  most  were  still  enduring  the  pain  of  frac 
tured  bones  and  bruised  nerves.  The  boat  itself  slowly 
touched  the  rocks,  raising  fresh  cries  among  the  wounded. 


LEFEC-FOLLET.  411 

by  the  agony  they  endured  from  the  shocks  of  rising  and 
falling  under  the  ground-swell. 

Raoul  was  too  deliberate,  and  too  much  collected,  not  to 
feel  his  advantage.  Anxious  to  keep  his  means  of  further 
defence  in  the  best  condition,  he  directed  all  the  guns  to 
cease,  and  the  damages  to  be  repaired.  Then  he  went  with 
a  pirty  towards  the  boat  that  had  fallen  into  his  hands. 
To  encumber  himself  with  prisoners  of  any  sort,  in  his 
actual  situation,  would  have  been  a  capital  mistake;  but  to 
do  this  with  wounded  men,  would  have  been  an  act  of  folly. 
The  boat  had  tourniquets  and  other  similar  appliances  in  it, 
and  he  directed  some  of  the  French  to  use  them  on  those 
that  wanted  them  most.  He  also  supplied  the  parched  lips 
of  the  sufferers  with  water,  when,  conceiving  that  his  duty 
was  performed,  he  gave  an  order  to  haul  the  boat  on  one 
side,  and  to  shove  it  forcibly  out  of  the  line  of  any  coming 
conflict. 

"Halloo,  Captain  Rule!"  called  out  Ithuel,  "you  are 
wrong  there.  Let  the  boat  lie  where  it  is,  and  it  will  an 
swer  a  better  turn  than  another  breastwork.  The  English 
will  scarcely  fire  through  their  own  wounded." 

The  look  that  Raoul  cast  towards  his  auxiliary  was  fierce, 
even  indignant ;  but,  disregarding  the  advice,  he  motioned 
for  his  own  men  to  obey  the  order  he  had  already  given 
them.  Then,  as  if  mindful  of  Ithuel's  importance,  his  late 
timely  succour,  and  the  necessity  of  not  offending  him,  he 
walked  to  the  side  of  the  islet  nearest  to  the  felucca,  and 
spoke  courteously  and  cheerfully  to  him  whose  advice  he 
had  just  treated  with  indifference,  if  not  with  disdain.  This 
was  not  hypocrisy,  but  a  prudent  adaptation  of  his  means  to 
his  circumstances. 

"  Tlon  —  brave  Etooelle"  he  said,  "  your  bags  of  bullets 
were  welcome  friends,  and  they  arrived  at  the  right 
moment." 

"  Why,  Captain  Rule,  in  the  Granite  country  we  are 
never  wasteful  of  our  means.  You  can  always  wait  for  the 
white  of  Englishmen's  eyes,  in  these  affairs.  They're 

spiteful  d Is,  on  the  whull,  and  seem  to  be  near-sighted 

to  a  man.  They  came  so  clus'  at  Bunker  Hill,  our  folks — " 

"  Bon — "  repeated  Raoul,  feeling  no  wish  to  hear  a  thrice- 
told  tale  gone  through  again,  Bunker  Hill  invariably  placing 


412  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

Ithuel  on  a  great  horse  in  the  way  of  bragging ;  for  he  not 
only  imagined  that  great  victory  a  New-England  triumph, 
as  in  fact  it  was,  but  he  was  much  disposed  to  encourage 
the  opinion  that  it  was  in  a  great  measure  "  granite." 
"Bon"  interrupted  Raoul  —  "  Bunkair  was  good; — muis, 
les  Rochess  aux  Sirens  is  bettair.  If  you  have  more  de 
ccs  balles,  load  encore" 

"What  think  you  of  this,  Captain  Rule?"  asked  the 
other,  pointing  up  at  a  little  vane  that  began  to  flutter  at  the 
head  of  one  of  his  masts.  "Here  is  the  west  wind,  and  an 
opportunity  oilers  to  be  off.  Let  us  take  wit,  and  run  !" 

Raoul  started,  and  gazed  at  the  heavens,  the  vane,  and 
the  surface  of  the  sea ;  the  latter  beginning  to  show  a 
slightly  ruffled  surface.  Then  his  eye  wandered  towards 
Ghita.  The  girl  had  risen  from  her  knees,  and  her  eyes 
followed  his  every  movement.  When  they  met  his,  with  a 
sweet,  imploring  smile,  she  pointed  upward,  as  if  beseech 
ing  him  to  pay  the  debt  of  gratitude  he  owed  to  that  dread 
Being  who  had,  as  yet,  borne  him  unharmed  through  the 
fray.  He  understood  her  meaning,  kissed  his  hand  in 
affecrionate  gallantry,  and  turned  towards  Ithuel,  to  pursue 
the  discourse. 

"  It  is  too  soon,"  he  said.  "  We  are  impregnable  here, 
and  the  wind  is  still  too  light.  An  hour  hence,  and  we  will 
all  go  together." 

Ithuel  grumbled ;  but  his  commander  heeded  it  not.  The 
judgment  of  the  latter  had  decided  right.  The  boats  were 
rallying  within  musket-shot,  indifferent  to  the  danger,  and 
it  was  evident  the  attack  was  to  be  renewed.  To  have 
attempted  to  escape  at  such  an  instant,  would  have  been 
throwing  away  the  great  advantage  of  the  ruins,  and  might 
have  endangered  all,  without  benefiting  any  one. 

In  point  of  fact,  Sir  Frederick  Dash  wood  had  become 
keenly  alive  to  a  sense  of  the  disgrace  he  was  likely  to 
incur,  in  the  event  of  the  ship's  getting  round,  and  robbing 
him  of  the  credit  of  capturing  the  lugger.  The  usually 
apnrhetic  nature  of  this  young  man  was  thoroughly  aroused, 
and,  like  all  who  are  difficult  to  excite,  he  became  respectable 
when  his  energies  were  awakened.  The  boats  were  already 
collected ;  all  the  disabled  were  put  into  one  of  them,  and 
ordered  off  to  the  ships;  and  with  those  that  remained 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  413 

arrangements  were  made  to  renew  the  attempt.  It  was  for- 
tunate  that  Cufle  had  sent  an  expedition  so  strong-handed  ; 
for,  notwithstanding  the  loss,  the  three  launches  and  the 
cutters  could  still  muster  double  the  number  of  the  French. 
.  This  time,  Sir  Frederick  was  willing  to  listen  to  counsel. 
Winchester,  McBcan,  Griffin,  and  Strand,  united  in  advising 
that  the  boats  should  separate^  and  make  their  assaults  from 
different  points.  This  would  prevent  the  possibility  of  a 
recurrence  of  so  concentrated  a  disaster  as  that  which  had 
already  befallen  them.  To  the  Scotchman,  was  assigned 
the  felucca;  the  Terpsichore's  launch  was  to  assail  the 
lugger;  while  the  two  cutters,  and  the  heavier  boat  of  the 
Proserpine,  were  to  dash  in  at  the  ruins.  Sir  Frederick  still 
remained  in  his  own  gig,  to  push  for  the  point  that  might 
seem  to  require  his  presence. 

McBean  was  the  first  to  fire  on  this  occasion.  He  threw 
a  round-shot  from  his  carronade  into  the  felucca,  aimed  by 
himself,  and  directed  with  care.  It  fell  upon  one  of  IthueFs 
carronades,  broke  into  a  dozen  pieces,  knocked  down  no  less 
than  three  men,  besides  injuring  others  less  severely,  and 
actually  drove  the  gun  it  struck  off  its  slide  into  the  feluc 
ca's  hold.  This  was  a  rough  commencement,  and  the  re 
sult  being  seen  by  all  hands,  it  greatly  encouraged  the  as 
sailants.  Three  hearty  English  cheers  followed,  and  Ithuel 
was  so  far  disconcerted  as  to  fire  the  remaining  gun,  loaded 
as  before,  with  bullets,  at  least  two  minutes  too  soon.  The 
sea  was  thrown  into  a  foam,  but  not  a  man  in  the  boats  was 
hurt.  Thenjhe  fire  became  general ;  gun  after  gun  explod 
ing  ;  the  rattling  of  small-arms  filling  up  the  paus.es.  The 
boats  came  on  with  steady,  strong  pulls  of  the  oar,  and  this 
too  with  an  impunity  that  often  happens,  though  difiicull 
to  be  explained.  Several  shot  fell  among  the  rums,  knock- 
ing  the  stones  about,  and  for  a  minute  or  two  nil  the  injury 
was  on  one  side.  But  Pintard  and  Ithuel  felt  the  security 
conferred  by  the  rocks  in  their  front,  and  each  endeavoured 
to  give  one  effective  discharge.  Ithuel  succeeded  the  best. 
He  repaid  McBcan  in  his  own  coin,  sending  a  grist  of  bullets 
into  the  bows  of  his  launch,  which  admonished  that  prudent 
officer  of  the  necessity  of  sheering  towards  the  islet  of  the 
ruins.  Pintard's  assailant  was  brought  up  by  the  barrier  in 
front,  and  turned  aside  aho.  Then,  in  the  midst  of  a  cioud 
35* 


414  LE    FEU-POLLET. 

of  smoke,  shouts,  curses,  cries,  shrieks,  orders,  and  the  roar 
of  guns,  all  the  English  precipitated  themselves  in  a  body 
on  lh<-  principal  post,  and  became  the  masters  of  tiie  batter} 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

"Thus  doth  the  ever-changing  course  of  tlu<«j/r 
Run  a  perpetual  circle,  ever  turning; 
And  that  same  day,  that  highest  glory  b/irg-j. 
Brings  us  to  the  point  of  back-returning." 

DiNlEL. 

IN  scenes  like  that  just  related,  it  is  not  easy  to  coOvcl 
details.  All  that  was  ever  known  beyond  the  impeU'jus 
manner  of  the  assault,  in  which  the  ruins  were  carried,  was 
in  the  dire  result.  Half  the  French  on  tne  islet  were  wel 
tering  in  their  blood,  and  the  surface  of  me  rocks  waa  well 
sprinkled  with  enemies  who  had  not  been  more  lotvanate. 
It  had  been  a  desperate  onset,  in  vvhien  mortificdirou  in 
creased  natural  intrepidity,  which  had  been  nobly  /esisted, 
but  in  which  numbers  had  necessarily  prevailed.  Among 
the  English  slain  was  Sir  Frederick  Dash  wood  himself;  he 
lay  about  a  yard  from  his  own  gig,  with  a  bah  directly 
through  his  head.  Griffin  was  seriously  hurt,  but  Clinch 
was  untouched,  on  the  low  rampart,  waving  an  English  Jack 
— after  having  hauled  down  a  similar  emblem  of  the  French. 
His  boat  had  first  touched  the  rock,  her  crew  had  first  reach 
ed  the  ruin,  and  of  all  in  her,  he,  himself,  had  taken  the 
load.  Desperately  had  he  contended  for  Jane  and  a  com 
mission,  and,  this  time,  Providence  appeared  to  smile  on  his 
efforts.  As  for  Raoul,  he  lay  in  front  of  his  own  rampart, 
having  rushed  forward  to  meet  the  party  of  Clinch,  and  had 
actually  crossed  swords  with  his  late  prisoner,  when  a  mus 
ket-ball,  fired  by  the  hands  of  McBean,  traversed  his  body. 

"  Courage,  mes  braves !  en  avant  /"  he  was  heard  to 
ehout,  as  he  leaped  the  low  wall,  to  repel  the  invaders — and 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  415 

when  he  lay  on  the  hard  rock,  his  voice  was  still  strong 
enough  to  make  itself  heard,  crying — "  Lieutenant — nom  de 
Dleu — bauve  mon  Feu-Follet  /" 

It  is  probable  that  Pintard  would  not  have  stirred,  even  at 
this  order,  had  not  the  English  ships  been  seen,  at  that  in 
stant,  coming  round  Campanella,  with  a  leading  westerly 
wind.  The  flap  of  canvass  was  audible  near  by,  too,  and 
turning,  he  saw  the  Michael  falling  off,  under  her  foresail, 
and  already  gathering  steerage-way.  Not  a  soul  was  visi 
ble  on  her  decks,  Ithuel,  who  steered,  lying  so  close,  as  to 
be  hid  by  her  waist-cloths.  The  hawsers  of  the  lugger  were 
cut,  and  le  Feu-Follet  started  back  like  an  affrighted  steed. 
It  was  only  to  let  go  the  brails  and  her  foresail  fell.  Light, 
and  feeling  the  breeze,  which  now  came  in  strong  puffs,  sho 
shot  out  of  the  little  bay  and  wore  short  round  on  her  keel. 
Two  or  three  of  the  English  boats  attempted  to  follow,  but 
it  was  idle.  Winchester,  who  now  commanded,  recalled 
them,  saying,  that  it  remained  for  the  ships  to  perform  their 
task.  The  day  had  been  too  bloody,  indeed,  to  think  of 
more  than  securing  the  present  success,  and  of  attending  to 
the  hurt. 

Leaving  the  party  on  the  islets  for  a  moment,  we  will  fol 
low  the  two  vessels  in  their  attempt  to  escape.  Pintard  and 
his  companions  abandoned  Raoul  with  heavy  hearts,  but 
they  plainly  saw  him  prostrated  on  the  rocks,  and  by  the 
hand  placed  on  his  side,  understood  the  desperate  nature  of 
his  wound.  Like  him,  they  felt  some  such  interest  as  one 
entertains  for  a  beloved  mistress  in  the  fate  of  the  lugger, 
and  the  words — "  sauve  mon  Feu-Follet  /"  were  ringing  in 
their  ears. 

As  soon  as  the  lugger  got  round,  she  set  her  after-sail,  and 
then  she  began  to  glide  through  the  v/ater,  with  the  usual 
knife-like  parting  of  the  element  under  her  bows.  The 
course  she  steered  led  her  directly  out  of  the  bay,  seeming 
to  lead  across  the  fore-foots  of  the  English  ships.  Ithuel 
did  not  imitate  this  manoeuvre.  He  kept  more  away  in  the 
line  for  Psestum,  rightly  enough  believing  that  in  the  greedy 
desire  to  overtake  the  lugger,  his  own  movement  would  pass 
unheeded.  The  owner  of  this  craft  was  still  on  board  the 
Terpsichore ;  but  every  remonstrance,  and  all  the  requests 
he  made,  that  his  own  vessel  might  be  followed  and  cap- 


416  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

ured,  were  utterly  unheeded  by  the  lieutenant  now  in  com- 
mand. '  To  him,  as  to  all  others  in  authority,  there  seemed 
to  be  but  one  thing  desirable,  and  that  was  to  secure  the  lug 
ger.  Of  course  none  yet  knew  of  the  fatal  character  of  the 
struggle  on  the  rocks,  or  of  the  death  of  the  English  leader, 
though  the  nature  of  the  result  was  sufficiently  understood 
by  seeing  the  English  Jack  flying  among  the  ruins,  and  the 
two  vessels  under  way,  endeavouring  to  escape. 

The  season  was  now  so  far  advanced  as  to  render  the  old 
stability  of  the  breezes  a  little  uncertain.  The  zephyr  had 
come  early,  and  it  had  come  fresh  ;  but  there  were  symp 
toms  of  a  sirocco,  about  the  barometer,  and  in  the  atmo 
sphere.  This  rendered  all  in  the  ships  eager  to  secure  their 
prize  before  a  shift  of  wind  should  come.  Now  that  there 
were  three  fast  vessels  in  chase,  none  doubted  of  the  final 
result ;  and  Cuffe  paced  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Proserpine, 
rubbing  his  hands  with  delight,  as  he  regarded  all  the  pro 
pitious  signs  of  the  times. 

The  Ringdove  was  ordered,  by  signal,  to  haul  up  south- 
south-west,  or  close  on  a  wind,  with  a  view  to  make  such  an 
offing  as  would  prevent  the  possibility  of  the  lugger's  getting 
outside  of  the  ships,  and  gaining  the  wind  of  them  ;  an 
achievement  Cuffe  thought  she  might  very  well  be  enabled 
to  accomplish,  could  she  once  fairly  come  by  the  wind  under 
circumstances  that  would  prevent  any  of  his  vessels  from 
bringing  her  under  their  guns.  The  Terpsichore  was  directed 
to  run  well  into  the  bay,  to  see  that  a  similar  artifice  was 
not  practised  in  that  direction  ;  while  the  Proserpine  shaped 
her  own  course  at  the  angle  that  would  intercept  the  chase, 
should  the  latter  continue  to  stand  on. 

It  was  an  easy  thing  for  the  French  to  set  all  their  canvass, 
the  hamper  of  a  lugger  being  so  simple.  This  was  soon 
done ;  and  Pintard  watched  the  result,  with  intense  interest, 
well  knowing  that  everything  now  depended  on  heels,  and 
ignorant  what  might  be  the  effect  of  her  present  trim  on  the 
sailing  of  his  beautiful  craft.  Luckily,  some  attention  had 
been  paid  to  her  lines,  in  striking  in  the  ballast  again  ;  and 
it  was  soon  found  that  the  vessel  was  likely  to  behave  well. 
Pintard  thought,  her  so  light  as  to  be  tender  ;  b'.'t,  not  daring 
to  haul  up  high  enough  to  prove  her,  in  that  way,  it  remained 
ft  matter  of  opinion  only.  It  was  enough  for  him  that  she 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  417 

lay  so  far  to  the  west  of  south  as  to  promise  to  clear  thft 
point  of  Piane,  and  that  she  skimmed  along  the  water  at  a 
rate  that  bade  fair  to  distance  all  three  of  her  pursuers. 
Anxious  to  get  an  offing,  however,  which  would  allow  him 
to  alter  his  course  at  night  in  more  directions  than  one,  he 
kept  luffing,  as  the  wind  favoured,  so  as  sensibly  to  edge  off 
the  land. 

As  the  two  chases  commenced  their  flight  quite  a  mile-  to 
the  southward  of  the  ships,  having  that  much  the  start  ot 
them  on  account  of  the  position  of  the  rocks,  it  rendered  them 
both  tolerably  free  from  all  danger  of  shot,  at  the  beginning, 
of  the  race.  The  course  steered  by  Ithuel,  soon  placed  him 
beyond  their  reach,  altogether  ;  and  Cuffe  knew  that  little 
would  be  gained,  while  much  might  be  lost,  in  making  any 
attempt  of  this  sort  on  the  lugger.  Consequently,  not  a  gun 
was  h'red  ;  but  the  result  was  thrown  fairly  on  the  canvass, 
and  on  the  sailing  of  the  respective  vessels. 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  at  the  beginning  of  this  chase. 
The  wind  freshened  fast,  and  soon  blew  a  strong  breeze ; 
one  that  drove  the  ships  ahead,  under  clouds  of  studding- 
sails  and  stay-sails,  the  latter  being  much  used  at  that  period, 
at  the  rate  of  quite  ten  knots  the  hour.  But  neither  gained 
on  le  Feu-Follet.  The  course  was  by  no  means  favourable 
to  her,  the  wind  being  well  on  her  quarter;  still,  she  rather 
gained,  than  was  gained  on.  All  four  vessels  went  oft" 
rapidly  to  the  southward,  as  a  matter  of  course;  nor  was  it 
long  before  they  were  to  leeward  of  the  felucca,  which  had 
both  shortened  sail,  and  hauled  up  to  the  eastward,  as  soon 
us  Ilhuel  felt  satisfied  he  was  not  to  be  followed.  After  a 
sufficient  time  had  elapsed,  the  Holy  Michael  tacked,  and 
came  out  of  the  bay,  crossing  the  wake  of  the  Terpsichore, 
just  beyond  gun-shot.  Of  course,  this  manoeuvre  was  seen 
from  the  frigate;  and  the  padrone  of  the  felucca  tore  his 
hair,  threw  himself  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  played  many 
other  desperate  antics,  in  the  indulgence  of  his  despair,  or  to 
excite  sympathy  :  but  all  in  vain  ;  the  lieutenant  was  obsti 
nate  ;  refusing  to  alter  tack  or  sheet  to  chase  a  miserable 
felucca,  with  so  glorious  an  object  in  full  view  before  him,  as 
the  celebrated  lugger  of  Raoul  Yvard.  As  a  matter  of  course, 
Ithuel  passed  out  to  sea  unmolested ;  and,  it  may  as  well  be 
said  here,  that,  in  due  time,  he  reached  Marseilles  in  safety 


418  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

where  the  felucca  was  sold,  and  the  Granite-seaman  disap 
peared  for  a  season.  There  will  be  occasion  to  speak  of 
him  only  once  again,  in  this  legend. 

The  trial  of  speed  must  soon  have  satisfied  Pinfard  that 
he  had  little  to  apprehend  from  his  pursuers,  even  with  the 
breeze  there  was.  But  circumstances  favoured  the  lugger. 
The  wind  hauled  materially  to  the  northward,  and  beibre 
the  sun  set,  it  enabled  the  French  to  run  off  wing-and-wing, 
still  edging  from  the  land.  It  now  began  to  blow  so  heavily 
as  to  compel  the  ships  to  reduce  their  light  canvass.  Some 
time  before  the  night  set  in,  both  frigates  and  the  sloop  were 
under  main-top-gallant-sails  only,  with  top-mast  and  lower 
studding-sails  on  each  side.  Le  Feu-Follet  made  no  change. 
Her  jigser  had  been  taken  in,  as  soon  as  she  kept  dead 
away,  and  then  she  dashed  ahead,  under  her  two  enormous 
luggs,  confident  in  their  powers  of  endurance.  The  night 
was  not  very  dark  ;  but  it  promised  to  carry  her  beyond  the 
vision  of  her  pursuers,  even  before  eight  bells,  did  the  present 
difference  in  sailing  continue. 

A  stern  chase  is  proverbially  a  long  chase.  For  one  fast 
vessel  to  outsail  another  a  single  mile  in  an  hour,  is  a  great 
superiority ;  and  even  in  such  circumstances,  many  hours 
must  elapse  ere  one  loses  sight  of  the  other,  by  day.  The 
three  English  ships  held  way  together  surprisingly,  the  Pro 
serpine  leading  a  little ;  while  le  Feu-Follet  might  possibly 
have  found  herself,  at  the  end  of  a  six  hours'  chase,  some 
four  miles  in  advance  of  her,  three  of  which  she  had  gained 
since  keeping  off,  wing-and-wing.  The  lightness  of  the  little 
craft  essentially  aided  her.  The  canvass  had  less  weight  to 
drag  after  it ;  and  Pintard  observed  that  the  hull  seemed  to 
skim  the  waves,  as  soon  as  the  sharp  stem  had  divided  them, 
and  the  water  took  the  bearings  of  the  vessel.  Hour  after 
hour  did  he  sit  on  the  bowsprit,  watching  her  progress;  a 
crest  of  foam  scarce  appearing  ahead,  before  it  was  glittering 
under  the  lugger's  bottom.  Occasionally,  a  pursuing  sea 
cast  the  stern  upward,  as  if  about  to  throw  it  in  advance  of 
the  bows  ;  but  le  Feu-Follet  was  too  much  accustomed  to 
this  treatment  to  be  disturbed,  and  she  ever  rose  on  the  bil 
low,  like  a  bubble,  and  then  the  glancing  arrow  scarce  sur 
passed  the  speed  with  which  she  hastened  forward,  as  if  to 
recover  lost  time. 


LE     FEL-FOLLET.  419 

Cuffe  did  not  quit  the  deck  until  the  bell  struck  two,  in 
the  middle  watch.  This  made  it  one  o'clock.  Yclverlon 
and  the  master  kept  the  watches  between  them,  but  the  cap 
tain  was  always  near  with  his  advice  and  orders. 

"  That  craft  seems  faster  when  she  gets  her  sails  wing- 
and-wing  than  she  is  even  close-hauled,  it  seems  to  me, 
Yelverton,"  observed  Cuffe,  after  taking  a  long  .ook  at  the 
chase  with  a  night-glass ;  "  I  begin  to  be  afraid  we  shall 
lose  her.  Neither  of  the  other  ships  does  anything  to  help 
us.  Here  we  are  all  three,  dead  in  her  wake,  following 
each  other  like  so  many  old  maids  going  to  church  of  a 
Sunday  morning." 

"  It  would  have  been  better,  Captain  Cuffe,  had  the  Ring 
dove  kept  more  to  the  westward,  and  the  frigate  further  east. 
Fast  as  the  lugger  is  with  her  wings  spread,  she's  faster  with 
them  jammed  up  on  a  wind.  I  expect  every  moment  to  find 
her  sheering  off  to  the  westward,  and  gradually  getting  us  in 
her  wake  on  a  wind.  I  fear  we  should  find  that  worse  work 
than  even  this,  sir." 

*'  I  would  not  lose  her  now,  for  a  thousand  pounds !  I  do 
not  see  what  the  d — I  Dashwood  was  about,  that  he  did  not 
secure  her,  when  he  got  possession  of  the  rocks.  I  shall 
rattle  him  down  a  little,  as  soon  as  we  meet." 

Cuffe  would  have  been  shocked  had  he  known  that  the 
body  of  Sir  Frederick  Dashwood  was,  just  at  that  moment, 
going  through  the  melancholy  process  of  being  carried  on 
board  a  two-decker,  up  at  Naples,  the  captain  of  which  was 
his  kinsman.  But  he  did  not  know  it,  nor  did  he  learn  his 
death,  for  more  than  a  week;  or  after  the  body  had  been 
interred. 

"  Take  the  glass,  Yelverton,  and  look  at  her.  To  me  she 
grows  very  dim  —  she  must  be  leaving  us,  fast.  Be  care 
ful  to  note  if  there  are  any  signs  of  an  intention  to  sheer  to 
the  westward." 

"  That  can  hardly  be  done  without  jibing  her  forward  lugg 
—  hang  me,  Captain  Cuffe,  if  I  can  see  her  at  all.  Ah.1 
here  she  is,  dead  ahead  as  before,  but  as  dim  as  a  ghost.  ] 
can  barely  make  out  her  canvass — she  is  still  wing-and- 
wing,  d — n  her,  looking  more  like  the  spectre  of  a  craft,  than 
a  real  thing.  I  lost  her  in  that  yaw,  sir — I  wish  you  would 
try,  Captain  Cuffe — do  my  best,  I  cannot  find  her  again." 


420  I*  E     FEU-FOLLET. 

CufTe  did  try,  but  without  success.  Once,  indeed,  he  fan 
cied  he  saw  her  but  further  examination  satisfied  him  it  was 
a  mistake.  So  long  had  he  been  gazing  at  the  same  object, 
that  it  was  easy  for  the  illusion  to  pass  before  his  mind's 
eye,  of  imagining  a  dim  outline  of  the  little  lugger  flying 
away,  like  the  scud  of  the  heavens,  wing-and-wing,  ever 
aeeming  to  elude  his  observation.  That  night  he  dreamed 
of  her,  and  there  were  haply  five  minutes,  during  which  his 
wandering  thoughts  actually  pourtrayed  the  process  of  tak 
ing  possession,  and  of  manning  the  prize. 

Previously  to  this,  however,  signals  were  made  to  the 
other  ships,  ordering  them  to  alter  their  courses,  with  a  view 
to  meet  anticipated  changes  in  that  of  le  Feu-Follet.  Lyon 
was  sent  to  the  westward,  the  Terpsichore  a  little  easterly, 
while  the  Proserpine  herself  ventured  so  far  as  to  steer  south 
west,  after  two  o'clock.  But  a  sudden  and  violent  shift  of 
wind  came  an  hour  before  day.  It  was  the  expected — nay. 
the  announced  sirocco,  and  it  brought  the  lugger  to  windward 
beyond  all  dispute.  The  south  breeze  came  strong  from 
the  first  puff;  and,  while  it  did  not  amount  to  a  gale  until  the 
afternoon  of  the  next  day,  it  blew  heavily,  in  squalls,  after 
the  first  hour. 

When  the  day  dawned,  the  three  ships  were  out  of  sight 
of  each  other.  The  Proserpine,  which  we  shall  accompany, 
as  our  old  acquaintance,  and  an  actor  in  what  is  to  succeed, 
was  under  double-reefed  topsails,  with  her  head  up  as  high  as 
west-south-west,  labouring  along  through  the  troughs  of  the 
seas  left  by  the  late  Tramontana.  The  weather  was  thick, 
rain  and  drizzle  coming  in  the  squalls,  and  there  were 
moments  when  the  water  could  not  be  seen  a  cable's-length 
from  the  ship ;  at  no  time  was  the  usual  horizon  fairly  visi 
ble.  In  this  manner  the  frigate  struggled  ahead,  Cuffe 
unwilling  to  abandon  all  hopes  of  success,  and  yet  seeing 
little  prospect  of  its  accomplishment.  The  look-outs  were 
aloft,  as  usual,  but  it  was  as  much  for  form  as  for  any  great 
use  they  were  likely  to  be,  since  it  was  seldom  a  man 
could  see  further  from  the  cross-trees  than  he  could  from 
the  deck. 

The  officers,  as  well  as  the  men,  had  breakfasted.  A 
species  of  sullen  discontent  pervaded  the  ship,  and  the  recent 
kind  feelings  towards  Raoul  Yvard  had  nearly  vanished  in 


LE    FEU-POLLET.  421 

disappointment.  Some  began  to  grumble  about  the  chancea 
of  the  other  ships  falling  in  wiih  the  lugger,  while  others 
swore  "  that  it  mattered  not  who  saw  her ;  catch  her  none 
could,  who  had  not  an  illicit  understanding  with  the  Father 
of  Lies.  She  was  well  named  the  Jack-o'-Lantern ;  for 
Jack-o'-Lintern  she  was,  and  Jack-o'-Lantern  would  she 
ever  prove  to  be.  As  well  might  a  false  fire  be  followed  in 
a  meadow,  as  such  a  craft  at  sea.  They  might  think  them 
selves  fortunate,  if  the  officers  and  people  sent  against  her 
in  the  boats  ever  got  back  to  their  own  wholesome  ship 
again." 

In  the  midst  of  such  prognostics  and  complaints,  the  cap 
tain  of  the  fore-top  shouted  the  words  *  sail  ho  !'  The  usual 
inquiry  and  answer  followed,  and  the  officers  got  a  glimpse 
of  the  object.  The  stranger  was  distant  half  a  league,  and 
he  was  seen  very  indistinctly  on  account  of  the  haze ;  but 
seen  he  was.  • 

"  'Tis  a  xebec,"  growled  the  master,  who  was  one  of  the 
grumblers  of  the  day — "a  fellow  with  his  hold  crammed 
with  a  wine  that  would  cover  the  handsomest  woman's  face 
in  Lunnun  with  wrinkles." 

"  By  Jupiter  Ammon  !"  Cuffe.  exclaimed,  "'tis  the  le Feu- 
Folly,  or  I  do  not  know  an  old  acquaintance.  Quarter 
master  hand  me  the  glass — not  that,  the  shorter  glass  is  the 
best." 

"  Long  or  short,  you  'It  never  make  that  out,"  muttered 
the  master.  "  The  Folly  has  more  folly  about  her  than  1 
give  her  credit  for,  if  we  get  another  look  at  her  this  sum 
mer." 

"  What  do  you  make  of  him,  Captain  Cuffe  ?"  Yelverton 
eagerly  demanded. 

"  Just  what  I  told  you,  sir — 'tis  the  lugger — and — I  can 
not  be  mistaken. — Ay,  by  Jove,  she  is  coming  down  before 
it,  wing-and-wing,  again  !  That's  her  play,  just  now,  it  would 
seem,  and  she  does  not  appear  to  have  got  enough  of  it  yet." 

An  attentive  look  satisfied  Yelverton  that  his  commander 
was  right.  Even  the  master  had  to  confess  his  error,  though 
he  did  it  ungraciously  and  with  reluctance.  It  was  the  lug 
ger,  of  a  certainty,  though  so  dimly  seen  as  to  render  it 
difficult,  at  moments,  to  trace  her  outlines  at  all.  She  was 
running  in  a  line  that  would  carry  her  astern  of  the  frigate 
36 


422  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

about  a  mile,  and  she  was  rather  more  than  thrice  that  dis 
tance  to  windward. 

"  She  cannot  see  us,"  said  Cuffe,  thoughtfully.  "  Beyond 
a  doubt  she  thinks  us  to  windward,  and  is  endeavouring  to 
get  out  of  our  neighbourhood.  We  must  get  round,  gentle 
men,  and  now  is  a  favourable  moment.  Tack  ship,  at  once, 
Mr.  Yelverton— I  think  she  '11  do  it." 

The  experiment  was  made,  and  it  succeeded.  The  Pro 
serpine  worked  beautifully,  and  Yelverton  knew  how  to 
humour  her  to  a  nicety.  In  five  minutes  the  ship  was  round, 
with  everything  trimmed  on  the  other  tack ; — close-reefed 
mizen,  and  double-reefed  fore  and  main-top-sails — a  reefed 
main-sail,  with  other  sails  to  suit.  As  she  was  kept  a  rap 
full,  or  a  little  off,  indeed,  to  prevent  the  lugger  from  slip 
ping  past,  she  might  have  gone  from  five  to  six  knots. 

The  next  five  minutes  were  intensely  interesting  to  the 
people  of  the  Proserpine.  The  weather  became  thicker,  and 
all  traces  of  le  Feu-Follet  were  lost.  Still,  when  last 
seen,  she  was  wing-and-wing,  flying  rather  than  sailing, 
down  towards  their  own  track.  By  Cuffe's  calculation,  the 
two  vessels  would  nearly  meet  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  should  neither  alter  her  course.  Several  guns  were 
got  ready,  in  preparation  for  such  a  rencontre. 

"  Let  the  weather  hold  thick  a  few  minutes  longer,  and 
we  have  her !"  cried  Cuffe.  "  Mr.  Yelverton,  you  'must  go 
down  and  see  to  those  guns  yourself.  Plump  it  right  into 
her,  if  you  're  ordered  to  fire.  The  fellow  has  no  hamper, 
and  stripping  him  must  be  a  matter  of  pure  accident.  Make 
it  too  hot  for  him  on  deck,  and  he'll  have  to  give  up,  Raoul 
Yvard,  or  the  d— 1 !" 

"  There  she  is,  sir !"  shouted  a  midshipman  from  a  cat 
head — for  everybody  who  dared  had  crowded  forward  to  get 
an  early  look  at  the  chase. 

There  she  was,  sure  enough,  wing-and-wing,  as  before. 
The  dullness  of  the  lugger's  look-outs  have  never  been  ex 
plained,  as  a  matter  of  course;  but  it  was  supposed,  when 
all  the  circumstances  came  to  be  known,  that  most  of  her 
people  were  asleep,  to  recover  from  the  recent  extraordinary 
fatigue,  and  a  night  in  which  all  hands  had  been  kept  on 
deck,  in  readiness  to  make  sail ;  the  vessel  having  but  some 
thirty  souls  in-  her.  At  length  the  frigate  was  seen,  the 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  423 

weather  lighting,  and  it  was  not  an  instant  too  soon.  The 
two  vessels,  at  that  critical  instant,  were  about  half  a  mile 
apart,  le  Feu-Follet  bearing  directly  off  the  Proserpine's 
weather-bow.  In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  the  former  jibed ; 
then  she  was  seen  coming  to  the  wind,  losing  sufficient 
ground  in  doing  so,  to  bring  her  just  in  a  range  with  the 
^yo  weather  chase-guns.  CufFe  instantly  gave  the  order  to 
open  a  fire. 

"VVhat  the  d— 1  has  got  into  her?"  exclaimed  the 
captain,—"  she  topples  like  a  mock  mandarin, — she  used  to 
be  as  stiff  as  a  church  !  What  can  it  mean,  sir  ?" 

The  master  did  not  know,  but  we  may  say  that  the  lugger 
was  too  light  for  so  much  canvass  in  such  heavy  weather, 
and  there  was  not  time  to  shorten  sail.  She  lurched  heavily 
under  the  sea  that  was  now  getting  dp,  and,  a  squall  striking 
her,  her  lee  guns  were  completely  buried.  Just  at  this 
moment  the  Proserpine  belched  forth  her  flame  and  smoke. 
The  shot  could  not  be  followed,  and  no  one  knew  where 
they  struck.  Four  had  been  fired,  when  a  squall  succeeded 
that  shut  in  the  chase,  and,  of  course,  the  firing  was  sus 
pended.  So  severe  was  this  momentary  effort  of  the  African 
gales,  hot,  drowsy,  and  deadening  as  they  are,  that  the  Pro- 
serpine  started  her  mizzen-top-sail  sheets,  and  clewed  up  her 
main-course,  to  save  the  spar.  But,  the  tack  was  instantly 
boarded  again,  and  the  top-sail  set.  A  gleam  of  sunshine 
succeeded,  but  the  lugger  had  disappeared  ! 

^The  sun  did  not  remain  visible,  and  that  faintly,  but  a 
minute ;  still,  the  eye  could  range  several  miles,  for  thrice 
that  period.  After  this  the  horizon  became  more  limited, 
but  no  squall  occurred  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  When  the 
lugger  was  missed,  the  Proserpine  was  heading  up  within 
half  a  point  of  the  spot  at  which  she  was  supposed  to  be.  In 
a  short  time  she  drove  past  this  point,  perhaps  a  hundred 
fathoms  to  leeward  of  it.  Here  she  tacked,  and  stretching 
off  a  sufficient  distance  to  the  southward  and  westward,  came 
round  again,  and  heading  up  east-south-east,  was  thought  to 
sweep  along  over  the  empty  track.  Not  a  sign  of  the°miss- 
ing  vessel  was  discovered.  The  sea  had  swallowed  all, 
lugger,  people,  and  hamper.  It  was  supposed  that,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  so  many  light  articles  had  been  left  on 
the  rockt,  nothing  remained  to  float.  All  had  accompanied 


424  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

Ic  Feu-Follet  to  the  bottom.  Of  boats  there  were  none, 
these  being  at  the  islet  of  the  ruins,  and,  if  any  seaman 
swam  off  in  the  desperate  attempt  to  save  his  life  in  the 
midst  of  the  cauldron  of  waters,  he  did  not  succeed,  or  was 
overlooked  by  the  English  in  their  search.  The  latter,  in 
deed,  may  have  miscalculated  their  distances,  and  not  have 
passed  within  a  cable's-length  of  the  place  where  the  vic 
tims,  if  any  such  there  were,  still  struggled  for  existence. 

CufFe,  and  all  around  him,  were  forcibly  struck  with  so 
unlooked-for  and  so  dire  a  calamity.  The  loss  of  a  vessel, 
under  such  circumstances,  produces  an  effect  like  a  sud 
den  death  among  companions.  It  is  a  fate  all  may  meet 
with,  and  it  induces  reflection  and  sadness.  Still,  the  Eng 
lish  did  not  give  up  the  hope  of  rescuing  some  unfortunate 
wretch,  clinging  to  a  spar,  or  supporting  himself  by  super 
natural  efforts,  for  several  hours.  At  noon,  however,  the 
ship  squared  away,  and  ran  for  Naples,  before  the  wind, 
being  drawn  aside  from  her  course  by  another  chase,  in 
which  she  succeeded  better,  capturing  a  sloop-of-war,  which 
she  carried  in,  several  days  later. 

The  first  act  of  Cuffe,  on  anchoring  in  the  fleet,  was  to  go 
on  board  the  Foudroyant,  and  report  himself  and  his  pro 
ceedings  to  the  rear-admiral.  Nelson  had  heard  nothing 
of  the  result,  beyond  what  had  occurred  at  the  islets,  and 
the  separation  of  the  ships. 

"  Well,  Cuffe,"  he  said,  reaching  out  his  remaining  hand, 
kindly,  to  his  old  Agammenon,  as  the  other  entered  the 
cabin — "  the  fellow  has  got  off,  after  all!  It  has  been  a 
bad  business,  altogether,  but  we  must  make  the  best  of  it. 
Where  do  you  fancy  the  lugger  to  be?" 

Cuffe  explained  what  had  happened,  and  put  into  the 
admiral's  hand  an  official  letter,  explaining  his  recent  suc 
cess.  With  the  last,  Nelson  was  pleased — at  the  first,  sur 
prised.  After  a  long,  thoughtful  pause,  he  went  into  the 
after-cabin,  and  returned,  throwing  a  small,  jack-like,  flag 
on  the  floor. 

"  As  Lyon  was  cruising  about,"  he  said,  "  and  his  sloop 
was  pitching  her  cat-heads  under,  this  thing  was  washed 
upon  a  spare  anchor,  where  it  stuck.  It's  a  queer  flag. 
Can  it  have  had  any  connection  .with  the  lugger?" 

Cuffe  looked,  and  he  immediately  recognized  the  little 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  425 

ala  e  ala  jack,  that  the  Italians  had  described  to  him,  in 
their  many  conversations.  It  was  the  only  vestige  that  was 
ever  found  of  the  Wing-and-VVing. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


"  How  beautiful  is  sorrow,  when  'tis  drcst 
By  virgin  innocence  !     It  makes 
Felicity  in  others,  seem  delbrmcd." 

DAVENANT. 

WE  must  return  to  the  rocks,  and  the  melancholy 
scene  they  offered.  Our  purposes  will  be  answered,  however, 
by  advancing  the  time  into  the  evening,  omitting  many 
things  that  the  reader  can  imagine,  without  our  relating 
them. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  Andrea  Barrofaldi, 
and  Vito  Viti,  took  no  part  in  the  bloody  transactions  we 
have  related.  When  all  was  over,  however,  they  drew  near 
to  the  rocks,  and,  sitting  in  their  boat,  contemplating  the 
sad  spectacle  presented  within  the  narrow  compass  of  the 
islet  of  the  ruins,  the  following  short  dialogue  occurred 
between  them  : — 

"  Vicc-governatore,"  demanded  the  podesta,  pointing  to 
the  place  where  Sir  Frederick  lay,  a  motionless  corpse, 
Raoul  bleeding,  and  others  were  writhing  under  their 
wounds — "  do  you  call  this  reality,  or  is  it  a  part  of  that 
damnable  doctrine,  which  is  enough  to  set  the  whole  earth 
by  the  ears,  and  to  turn  men  into  tigers  and  hawks  ?" 

"  I  lear,  neighbour  Vito,  this  will  only  prove  too  true.  I 
sec  the  bodies  of  Sir  Dashwood  and  Sir  Smees ;  and  God 
knows  how  many  more  have  this  day  departed  for  the  world 
of  spirits." 

"  Leaving  behind  them  only  a  world  of  shadows,"  mut- 

tered  Vito  Viti,  even  that  melancholy  spectacle  failing  to 

draw  his  thoughts  altogether  from  a  discussion  that  had  now 

lasted  near  four-and-twenty  hours.     But  the  moment  was 

36  * 


426  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

not  propitious  to  argument,  and  the  two  Italians  landed. 
This  was  within  half-an-hour  after  the  struggle  had  ceased; 
and  our  intentions  are  to  advance  the  time  to  the  moment 
mentioned  in  the  opening  of  this  Chapter. 

We  must  give  here,  however,  a  rapid  sketch  of  the  pro 
ceedings  that  narrowed  down  the  view  to  that  we  intend 
shortly  to  lay  before  the  reader.  As  soon  as  there  was 
leisure,  Winchester  made  a  survey  of  the  field  of  battle.  He 
found  many  of  his  own  men  slain,  and  more  wounded.  Of 
the  French  on  the  islet,  quite  h&lf  were  hurt ;  but  the  mortal 
wound  received  by  their  leader,  was  the  blow  that  all 
lamented.  The  surgeon  soon  pronounced  Raoul's  case  to 
be  hopeless  ,*  and  this  declaration  .was  heard  with  regret  even 
by  generous  enemies.  The  defence  had  been  desperate; 
it  would  have  succeeded,  had  it  been  within  the  scope 
of  possibility  for  so  few  courageous  men  to  repel  double 
their  numbers  of  those  who  were  equally  brave.  Both  sides 
had  fought  for  honour ;  and,  when  this  is  the  case,  victory 
generally  awaits  the  strongest. 

As  soon  as  it  was  perceived  that  all  the  ships  were  likely 
to  be  led  far  to  leeward,  in  chase,  the  English  officers  felt 
the  necessity  of  acting  for  themselves.  The  medical  men 
had  been  busy  from  the  first,  and  in  the  course  of  a  couple 
of  hours,  all  had  been  done  for  the  wounded  that  present 
circumstances  would  allow.  The  amputations  were  few, 
and  each  vessel  having  sent  a  surgeon,  these  were  all  made, 
while  the  other  appliances  had  been  successfully  used  in  such 
cases  as  would  be  benefited  by  them.  The  day  was  draw 
ing  near  a  close,  and  the  distance  from  the  fleet  was  so  great 
as  to  call  for  exertion. 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  uninjured  men  were  refreshed, 
and  the  wounded  cared  for,  the  latter  were  put  into  the 
launches,  in  the  best  manner  they  might  be,  and  the  cutters 
took  them  in  tow.  One  had  no  sooner  received  its  melan 
choly  freight,  than  it  left  the  islets,  on  its  way  to  the  hospital- 
ship  of  the  fleet.  The  others  succeeded,  in  turn  ;  the  unhurt 
French  willingly  offering  to  assist  in  the  performance  of  this 
pious  duty.  At  length,  but  three  boats  remained.  One  was 
Sir  Frederick's  gig,  which  Winchester  had  kept  for  his  own 
particular  use  ;  another  was  the  yawl  of  Andrea  Barrofaldi ; 
and  the  third,  the  little  craft  in  which  Carlo  Giuntotardi  had 


LE    FEU-FOLLET.  427 

• 

come  from  the  shore.  Of  the  French,  no  one  remained  but 
the  surgeon  of  the  lugger,  Raoul's  steward  and  personal 
attendant,  and  Raoul  himself.  If  to  these  be  added  the  two 
Italians,  and  their  oarsmen,  Carlo  and  his  niece,  with  Win- 
Chester  and  his  boat's  crew,  we  enumerate  all  who  now 
remained  at  the  rocks. 

By  this  time  the  sun  had  sunk  below  the  adjacent  hills, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  decide  on  some  course.  Winchester 
consulted  the  surgeon  as  to  the  expediency  of  removing  his 
patient.  Could  it  be  done,  it  had  better  be  done  soon. 

"  Mons.  lieutenant"  answered  this  personage  a  little  drily, 
"  mon  brave  capitaine  has  but  a  short  time  to  live.  He  has 
entreated  to  be  left  here,  on  the  scene  of  his  glory,  and  in 
the  company  of  that  female  whom  he  so  well  loved — mais — 
you  are  the  victors" —  shrugging  his  shoulders — "  and  you 
will  do  your  own  pleasure." 

Winchester  coloured  and  bit  his  lips.  The  idea  of  tortu 
ring  Raoul,  either  in  body  or  mind,  was  the  last  intention 
of  one  so  humane,  but  he  felt  indignant  at  the  implied  sus 
picion.  Commanding  himself,  notwithstanding,  he 'bowed 
courteously,  and  intimated  that  he  would  remain  himself, 
with  his  prisoner,  until  all  were  over.  The  Frenchman  was 
surprised,  and  when"  he  read  the  sympathy  of  the  other  in 
the  expression  of  his  countenance,  he  felt  regret  for  his  own 
distrust,  and  still  more  at  having  expressed  it. 

"  Mais,  Monsieur"  he  answered,  "  night  will  soon  come 
— you  may  have  to  pass  it  on  the  rocks." 

"  And  if  we  do,  doctor,  it  is  no  more  than  we  seamen  are 
used  to.  Boat-service  is  common  duty  with  us.  I  have 
only  to  wrap  myself  in  my  cloak,  to  enjoy  a  seaman's  com 
fort." 

This  settled  the  matter,  and  no  more  was  said.  The  sur 
geon,  a  man  accustomed  to  the  exercise  of  such  resources, 
soon  managed  to  make  his  dispositions  for  the  final  scene. 
In  clearing  the  lugger,  a  hundred  light  articles  had  been 
thrown  on  the  islet  on  which  she  had  touched,  and  among 
others  were  several  rude  mattresses  of  the  seamen.  Two 
or  three  of  these  were  procured,  placed  on  the  smoothest 
surface  of  the  rock,  and  a  bed  formed  for  Raoul.  The  medi- 
cal  man,  and  the  seamen,  would  have  erected  a  tent  with  a 
sail,  but  this  the  wounded  man  forbade. 


428  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

i> 

"  Let  me  breathe  the  free  air,"  he  said — "  I  shall  use  but 
little  of  it ; — let  that  little  be  free." 

It  was  use'ess  to  oppose  such  a  wish,  nor  was  ihcre  any 
motive  for  it.  The  air  was  pure,  and  little  need  be  appre 
hended  from  the  night,  in  behalf  of  Ghita,  surrounded  as 
they  were  by  the  pure  waters  of  the  ocean.  Even  when  the 
Tramontana  came,  although  it  was  cool,  its  coolness  was 
not  unpleasant,  the  adjacent  hill  sheltering  the  islets  from 
its  immediate  influence. 

The  English  seamen  collected  some  fuel  from  the  spare 
spars  of  the  lugger,  and  lighted  a  fire  on  the  rock  where 
they  had  been  ibund.  Food  of  all  sorts  was  abundant,  and 
several  casks  of  water  had  been  struck  out  whole,  as  provision 
against  a  siege.  Here  they  made  coffee,  and  cooked  enough 
food  for  the  wants  of  all  the  party.  The  distance  prevented 
their  disturbing  those  who  remained  near  Raoul,  while  the 
light  of  the  fire,  which  was  kept  in  a  cheerful  blaze,  cast  a 
picturesque  glow  upon  the  group  around  the  dying  man,  as 
soon  as  the  night  had  fairly  set  in.  It  superseded,  too,  the 
necessity  of  any  lamps  or  torches. 

We  pass  over  all  the  first  outpourings  of  Ghita's  anguish, 
when  she  learned  the  wound  of  Raoul,  her  many  and  fer 
vent  prayers,  and  the  scenes  that  took  place  during  the  time 
that  the  islet  was  still  crowded  with  the  combatants.  More 
quiet  hours  succeeded  when  these  last  were  gone ;  and  as 
the  night  advanced,  something  like  the  fixed  tranquillity  of 
settled  despair  followed  the  first  emotions.  When  ten  o'clock 
arrived,  we  reach  the  moment  at  which  we  wish  to  raise  the 
curtain  once  more,  in  order  to  present  the  principal  actors 
in  the  scene. 

Raoul  lay  on  the  summit  of  the  islet,  where  his  eye  could 
range  over  the  mild  waters  that  washed  the  rock,  and  his 
ear  listen  to  the  murmuring  of  his  own  element.  The  Tra- 
montana,  as  usual,  had  driven  all  perceptible  vapour  from  the 
atmosphere,  and  the  vault  of  heaven,  in  its  cerulean  blue, 
and  spangled  with  thousands  of  stars,  stretched  itself  above 
him,  a  glorious  harbinger  for  the  future,  to  one  who  died  in 
hope.  The  care  of  Ghita  and  the  attendants  had  collected 
around  the  spot,  so  many  little  comforts  as  to  give  it  the  air 
of  a  room  suddenly  divested  of  sides  and  ceiling,  but  habi 
table  and  useful.  Winchester,  fatigued  with  his  day's  work, 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  429 

and  mindful  of  the  wish  that  Raoul  might  so  naturally  feel 
to  be  alone  with  Ghita,  had  lain  down  on  a  matt ress*/ lea v. 
ing  orders  to  be  called  should  anything  occur;  while  the 
.surgeon,  conscious  that  he  could  do  no  more,  had  imitated 
his  example,  making  a  similar  request.  As  for  Carlo  Giun- 
totardi,  he  seldom  slept ;  he  was  at  his  prayers  in  the  ruins. 
Andrea  and  the  podesla  paced  the  rock  to  keep  themselves 
warm,  slightly  regretting  the  sudden  burst  of  humanity 
which  had  induced  them  to  remain. 

Raoul  and  Ghita  were  alone.  The  former  lay  on  his 
back,  his  head  bolstered,  and  his  face  upturned  towards  the 
vault  of  heaven.  The  pain  was  over,  and  life  was  ebbing 
fast.  Still,  the  mind  was  unshackled,  and  thought  busy  as 
ever.  His  heart  was  still  full  of  Ghita;  though  his  extra 
ordinary  situation,  and  more  especially,  the  glorious  view 
before  his  eyes,  blended  certain  pictures  of  the  future,  with 
his  feelings,  that  were  as  novel  as  he  found  them  powerful. 

With  the  girl  it  was  different.  As  a  woman,  she  had  felt 
the  force  of  this  sudden  blow  in  a  manner  that  she  found 
difficult  to  bear.  Still,  she  blessed  God,  that  what  had 
occurred,  happened  in  her  presence,  as  it  might  be  ;  leaving 
her  the  means  of  acting,  and  the  efficacy  of  prayer.  To  say 
that  she  did  not  yet  feel  the  liveliest  love  for  Raoul,  all  that 
tenderness  which  constitutes  so  large  a  portion  of  woman's 
nature,  would  be  untrue;  but,  her  mind  was  now  made  up 
to  the  worst,  and  her  thoughts  were  of  another  state  of 
being. 

A  long  pause  had  occurred,  in  which  Raoul  remained 
steadfastly  gazing  at  the  starry  canopy  above. 

"  It  is  remarkable,  Ghita,"  he  said,  at  length,  "  that  I— 
Raoul  Yvard — the  corsair — the  man  of  wars  and  tempests — 
fierce  combats  and  hair-breadth  escapes  —  should  be  dying 
here,  on  this  rock,  with  nil  those  stars  looking  down  upon 
me,  as  it  might  be,  from  your  heaven,  seeming  to  smile  upon 
me  !" 

"  Why  not  your  heaven,  as  well  as  mine,  Rnoul  ?"  Ghita 
answered,  Iremulously.  "  It  is  as  vast  as  He  who  dwells  in 
it  —  whose  throne  it  is  —  and  can  contain  all  who  love  him. 
and  seek  his  mercy." 

"  Dost  thou  think  one  like  me  would  be  received  into  nis 
presence,  Ghita  ?" 


430  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

"Do  not  doubt  it — free  from  all  error  and  weakness 
Himsftlf,  his  Holy  Spirit  delights  in  the  penitent  and  the  sor 
rowful.  Oh!  dearest,  dearest  Raoul,  if  thou  would^st  but 
pray!" 

A  gleam,  like  that  of  triumph,  glowed  on  the  face  of  the 
wounded  man ;  and  Ghita,  in  the  intensity  of  her  expecta 
tion,  rose,  and  stood  over  him,  her  own  features  filled  with  a 
momentary  hope. 

"  Mon  Feu-Follet !"  exclaimed  Raoul,  letting  the  tongue 
reveal  the  transient  thought  which  brought  the  gleam  of 
triumph  to  his  countenance.  "  Thou,  at  least,  hast  escaped  ! 
These  English  will  not  count  thee  among  their  victims,  and 
glut  their  eyes  on  thy  charming  proportions  !" 

Ghita  felt  a  chill  at  her  heart.  She  fell  back  on  her  seat, 
and  continued  watching  her  lover's  countenance,  wilh  a 
feeling  of  despair,  though  inextinguishable  tenderness  was 
still  crowding  around  her  soul.  Raoul  heard  the  move 
ment;  and  turning  his  head,  he  gazed  at  the  girl,  for  quite 
a  minute,  with  a  portion  of  that  intense  admiration  that  used 
to  gleam  from  his  eyes  in  happier  moments. 

"  It  is  better  as  it  is,  Ghita,"  he  said,  "  than  that  I  should 
live  without  thee.  Fate  has  been  kind,  in  thus  ending  my 
misery." 

"  Oh  !  Raoul !  there  is  no  fate,  but  the  holy  will  of  God. 
Deceive  not  thyself,  at  this  awful  moment  ;  but  bow  down 
thy  proud  spirit,  in  humility,  and  turn  to  Him  for  succour  !" 

"Poor  Ghita  ! — Well,  thine  is  not  the  onlv  innocent  mind 
by  millions,  that  hath  been  trammelled  bj  priests;  and,  I 
suppose,  what  hath  commenced  with  the  beginning,  will  last 
till  the  end." 

"  The  beginning  and  the  end,  are  both  God,  Raoul.  Since 
the  commencement  of  time,  hath  he  established  laws  which 
have  brought  about  the  trials  of  thy  life — the  sadness  of 
this  very  hour." 

"  And  dost  thou  think  he  will  pardon  all  thy  care  of  one 
so  unworthy  ?" 

Ghita  bowed  her  head  to  the  mattress  over  which  she 
leaned,  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands.  When  the  minute 
of  prayer,  that  succeeded,  was  over,  and  her  face  was  again 
raised  with  the  flush  of  feeling  tempered  by  innocence  on  it, 
Raoul  was  lying  on  his  back,  his  eyes  riveted,  again,  on  the 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  431 

vault  of  heaven.  His  professional  pursuits  had  led  him 
farther  into  the  study  of  astronomy  than  comported  with  his 
general  education  ;  and,  addicted  to  speculation,  its  facts 
had  often  seized  upon  his  fancy,  though  they  had  failed  to 
touch  his  heart.  Hitherto,  indeed,  he  had  fallen  into  the 
common  error  of  limited  research,  and  found  a  confirmation 
of  his  suspicions,  in  the  assumed  grasp  of  his  own  reason. 
The  dread  moment  that  was  so  near,  could  not  fail  of  its 
influence,  however ;  and  that  unknown  future  ovei  which  he 
hung,  as  it  might  be,  suspended  by  a  hair,  inevitably  led 
his  mind  into  an  inquiry  after  the  unknown  God. 

"  Dost  thou  know,  Ghita,"  he  asked,  "  that  the  learned 
of  France  tell  us  that  all  yonder  bright  stars  are  worlds, 
peopled  most  probably  like  this  of  our  own,  and  to  which 
the  earth  appears  but  as  a  star  itself,  and  that,  too,  of  no 
great  magnitude?" 

"  And  what  is  this,  Raoul,  to  the  power  and  majesty  of 
Him  who  created  the  universe  ?  Ah  !  think  not  of  the  things 
of  his  hand,  but  of  Him  who  made  them  !" 

"  Hast  thou  ever  heard,  my  poor  Ghita,  that  the  mind  of 
man  hath  been  able  to  invent  instruments  to  trace  the  move- 
ments  of  all  these  worlds,  and  hath  power,  even,  to  calculate 
their  wanderings  with  accuracy,  for  ages  to  come?" 

"  And  dost  thou  know,  my  poor  Raoul,  what  this  mind 
of  man  is?" 

"A  part  of  his  nature — the  highest  quality;  that  which 
maketh  him  the  lord  of  earth." 

"  His  highest  quality — and  that  which  maketh  him  lord 
of  earth,  in  one  sense,  truly  ;  but,  after  all,  a  mere  fragment 
— a  spot  on  the  width  of  the  heavens — of  the  spirit  of  God 
himself.  It  is,  in  this  sense,  that  he  hath  been  made  in  the 
image  of  his  creator." 

"  Thou  think'st  then,  Ghita,  that  man  is  God,  after  all." 

"  Raoul ! — Raoul !  if  thou  would'st  not  see  me  die  with 
thee,  interpret  not  my  words  in  this  manner !" 

"  Would  it,  then,  be  so  hard  to  quit  life  in  my  company, 
Ghita  '?"  To  me  it  would  seem  supreme  felicity  were  oui 
places  to  be  changed." 

"  To  go  whither  ?  Hast  thou  bethought  thee  of  this,  mv 
beloved?" 

Raoul  answered  not  for  some  time.     His  eyes  were  fast* 


432  LE    FEU-FOLLET. 

cned  on  a  bright  star,  and  a  tumult  of  thought  began  to 
crowd  upon  his  brain.  There  are  moments  in  tho  li'e  of 
every  man,  when  the  mental  vision  obtains  clearer  views  cf 
remote  conclusions,  equally  in  connection  with  the  past  and 
the  future,  as  there  are  days,  when  an  atmosphere  purer 
than  common,  more  readily  gives  up  its  objects  to  the  physi 
cal  organs, —  leaving  the  mind  momentarily  the  master, 
almost  without  control.  One  of  these  gleams  of  truih  passed 
over  the  faculties  of  the  dying  man,  and  it  could  not  be  alto 
gether  without  its  fruits.  RaouTs  soul  was  agitated  by  novel 
sensations. 

"  Do  thy  priests  fancy  that  they  who  have  known  and 
loved  each  other  in  this  life,"  he  asked,  "will  know  and 
love  each  other,  in  that  which  they  fancy  is  to  come?" 

"  The  life  that  is  to  come,  Raoul,  is  one  all  love,  or  one 
all  hatred.  That  we  may  know  each  other,  I  try  to  hope; 
nor,  do  I  see  any  reason  for  disbelieving  it.  My  uncle  is 
of  opinion  it  must  be  so." 

"  Thy  uncle,  Ghita?  What,  Carlo  Giuntotardi— he  who 
seerneth  never  to  think  of  things  around  him  —  doth  a  mind 
like  his  dwdl  on  thoughts  as  remote  and  sublime  as  this?" 

"  Little  dost  thou  know,  or  understand  him,  Raoul.  His 
mind  seldom  ceases  to  dwell  on  thoughts  like  these;  this  is 
the  reason  why  earth,  and  all  it  contains,  seem  so  indif 
ferent." 

Raoul  made  no  answer,  but  appearing  to  suffer  under  the 
pain  of  his  wound,  the  feelings  of  woman  so  far  prevailed 
over  Ghita's  tender  nature,  that  she  had  not  the  heart  to 
press  even  his  salvation  on  him,  at  such  a  moment.  She 
offered  him  soothing  drinks,  and  nursed  him  with  unabated 
care;  and  when  there  seemed  to  be  a  cessation  to  his  suffer 
ings,  she  again  passed  minutes  on  her  knees,  her  whole  soul 
absorbed  in  his  future  welfare.  An  hour  passed  in  this 
mpinner,  all  on,  or  near  the  rock  sleeping,  overcome  by 
fatigue,  but  Ghita  and  the  dying  mnn. 

"  That  star  haunts  me,  Ghita  !"  Raoul  at  Icng'.h  muttered. 
"If  it  be  really  a  world,  some  all-powerful  hand  must  have 
created  it.  Chance  never  made  a  world,  more  th?.n  chance 
n.ade  a  ship.  Thought — mind  —  intelligence"  must  have 
governed  at  the  formation  of  one,  as  well  as  of  the  other." 

For  months  Ghita  had  not  known  an  instant  as  happy  as 


LE    PEU-FOLLET.  433 

that.  It  appeared  as  if  the  mind  of  Raoul  were  about  to 
extricate  itself  from  the  shallow  philosophy  so  much  in 
fashion,  and  which  had  hitherto  deadened  a  nature  so  kind, 
an  intellect  ordinarily  so  clear.  Could  his  thoughts  but  once 
take  the  right  direction,  she  had  strong  confidence  in  the 
distinctness  of  their  views,  but  most  of  all  in  the  goodness 
of  the  Deity. 

"  Raoul,"  she  whispered,  "  God  is  there,  as  he  is  with  us, 
on  this  rock.  His  spirit  is  everywhere.  Bless  him  ! — bless 
him  in  thy  soul,  my  beloved,  and  be  for  ever  happy !" 

Raoul  answered  not.  His  face  was  upturned,  and  his  eye 
still  remained  riveted  on  that  particular  star.  Ghita  would 
not  disturb  him,  but  taking  his  hand  in  hers,  she  once  more 
knelt,  and  resumed  her  prayers.  Minute  passed  after  min 
ute,  and  neither  seemed  disposed  to  speak.  At  length  Ghita 
became  woman  again,  and  bethought  her  of  her  patient's 
bodily  wants.  It  was  time  to  administer  the  liquids  of  the 
surgeon,  and  she  advanced  to  hold  them  to  his  lips.  The 
eye  was  still  fastened  on  the  star,  but  the  lips  did  not  meet 
her  with  the  customary  smile  of  love.  They  were  compressed, 
as  when  the  body  was  about  to  mingle  in  the  strife  of  a  bat 
tle,  a  sort  of  stern  resolution  being  settled  on  them.  Raoul 
Yvard  was  dead. 

The  discovery  of  the  truth  was  a  fearful  moment  to  Ghita. 
Not  a  living  being  near  her  had  the  consciousness  of  her 
situation;  all  being  bound  in  the  sleep  of  the  weary.  The 
first  feeling  was  that  which  belonged  to  her  sex.  She  threw 
nerself  on  the  body,  and  embraced  it  wildly,  giving  way  to 
those  pent-up  emotions,  of  which  her  lover,  in  his  moody 
humours,  was  wont  to  accuse  her  of  not  possessing.  She 
kissed  the  forehead,  the  cheeks,  the  pallid,  stern  lips  of  the 
dead  ;  and,  for  a  time,  there  was  the  danger  that  her  own 
spirit  might  pass  away  in  the  paroxysm  of  her  grief.  But, 
it  was  morally  impossible  for  Ghita  to  remain  long  under 
the  influence  of  despair.  Her  gentle  spirit  had  communed 
too  long  and  too  closely  with  her  Heavenly  Father,  not  to 
resort  to  his  support  in  all  the  critical  moments  of  life.  She 
prayed,  foi»  the  tenth  time,  that  night,  and  arose  from  her 
liners  calm,  if  not  absolutely  resigned. 

The  situation  of  Ghita  was  now  as  wildly  picturesque  as 
it  was  moving  to  her  inmost  spirit.  All  around  her  still  sleptj 


434  LE     FEU-FOLLET. 

and  that,  to  the  eye,  as  profoundly  as  he  who  was  only  to 
rise  again,  when  the  sea  and  the  land  gave  up  their  dead. 
The  excitement  and  exertions  of  the  past  day  produced 
their  reaction,  and  seldom  did  sleep  exercise  a  more  pro- 
found  influence.  The  fire  was  still  burning  bright,  on  the 
islet  of  the  gig-men,  casting  its  rays  fairly  atwhart  the 
ruins,  the  different  sleepers  in  them,  and  the  immoveable 
body  of  the  dead.  At  moments,  gusts  of  the  Trarnontana, 
which  was  now  blowing  fresh,  descended  so  low  as  to  fan  the 
flames,  when  the  glare  that  succeeded  seemed  to  give  a  start 
ling  reality  to  all  that  surrounded  the  place. 

Still,  the  girl  was  too  highly  sustained,  to  be  moved  with 
anything  but  her  loss,  and  her  restless  inquietude  for  the 
departed  spirit.  She  saw  that  even  her  uncle  slept,  leaving 
her  truly  alone  with  Raoul.  Once  a  feeling  of  desertion 
came  over  her,  and  she  was  inclined  to  arouse  some  of  the 
sleepers.  She  did  approach  the  spot  where  the  surgeon 
lay,  and  her  hand  was  raised  to  stir  him,  when  a  flash  of 
light  shot  atwhart  the  pallid  countenance  of  Raoul,  and  she 
perceived  that  his  eyes  were  still  open.  Drawing  near,  she 
bent  over  the  body,  gazing  long  and  wistfully  into  those 
windows  of  the  soul,  that  had  so  often  beamed  on  her  in 
manly  tenderness,  and  she  felt,  like  a  miser  with  his  hoarded 
gold,  unwilling  to  share  it  with  any  other. 

Throughout  the  livelong  night  did  Ghita  watch  by  the 
body  of  her  well-beloved,  now  hanging  over  it  with  a  ten 
derness  no  change  could  extinguish,  now  besieging  hea 
ven  with  her  prayers.  Not  one  awoke,  to  interfere  with 
the  strange  happiness  she  felt  in  those  pious  offices,  or  to 
wound  her  sensibilities,  by  the  surprise  or  the  sneers  of  the 
vulgar.  Ere  the  day  came,  she  closed  the  eyes  of  Raoul 
with  her  own  hands,  covered  his  body  with  a  French 
ensign,  that  lay  upon  the  rock,  and  sat,  patient  and  resigned, 
awaiting  the  moment  when  some  of  the  others  might  be 
ready  to  aid  her  in  performing  the  last  pious  offices  in  be- 
half  of  the  dead.  As  a  Romanist,  she  found  a  holy  conso 
lation  in  that  beautiful  portion  of  her  church's  creed,  that 
admits  of  unceasing  petition  for  the  souls  of  tlje  departed, 
even  to  the  latest  hour  of  earthly  things. 

Winchester  was  the  first  to  stir.  Starting  up,  he 
appeared  to  be  astonished  at  the  situation  in  which  he  found 


LE     FEU-FOLLET 


435 


himself;  but  a  glance  around  told  the  whole  truth.  Ad 
vancing  towards  Ghita,  he  was  about  to  inquire  after  the 
welfare  of  Raoul,  when,  struck  by  the  expression  of  her 
seraphic  countenance,  he  turned  to  the  body,  and  read  the 
truth  in  the  appropriate  pall.  It  was  no  time  for  self- 
upbraidings,  or  for  reproaches  to  others ;  but  arousing  the 
sleepers,  in  a  subdued  and  respectful  manner,  he  gave  to  the 
place  the  quiet  and  seeming  sanctity  of  a  chapel. 

Carlo  Giuntotardi,  soon  after,  begged  the  dead  body  from 
the  conquerors.  There  was  no  motive  for  denying  the 
request,  and  it  was  placed  in  a  boat,  and  towed  to  the  shore, 
accompanied  by  all  who  had  remained.  The  heavy  sirocco 
that  soon  succeeded,  drove  the  waves  atwhartthe  islet  of  the 
ruins,  effectually  erasing1  its  stains  of  blood,  and  sweeping 
every  trace  of  le  Feu-Follet,  and  of  the  recent  events,  into 
the  sea. 

At  the  foot  of  Che  Scaricatojo,  the  seamen  constructed  a 
rude  bier,  and  thus  they  bore  the  dead  up  that  wild,  and  yet 
lovely  precipice,  persevering  in  their  good  work  until  they 
leached  the  cottago  of  Carlo  Giuntotardi's  sister.  A  little 
procession  accompanied  the  body  frdrn  the  first ;  and,  Ghita 
being  universally  known  and  respected  among  the  simple 
inhabitants  of  those  heights,  when  it  entered  the  street  of 
St.  Agata,  it  had  grown  into  a  line  that  included  a  hundred 
believers. 

The  convent,  the  empty  buildings  of  which  still  crown 
the  summit  of  one  of  the  adjacent  hills,  was  then  in  exist 
ence  as  a  religious  community ;  and  the  influence  of  Carlo 
Giuntotardi  was  sufficient  to  procure  its  offices  in  behalf 
of  the  dead.  For  three  days  and  nights  did  the  body  of 
Raoul  Yvard,  the  unbeliever,  lie  in  the  chapel  of  that  holy 
fraternity,  his  soul  receiving  the  benefit  of  masses ;  and  then 
it  was  committed  to  holy  ground,  to  await  the  summons  of 
the  last  trump. 

There  is  a  strange  disposition  in  the  human  breast  to 
withhold  praise  from  a  man  when  living,  that  is  freely 
accorded  to  him  when  dead.  Although  we  believe  that 
envy,  and  its  attendant  evil,  detraction,  are  peculiarly  demo- 
rratic  vices,  meaning  thereby  that  democracy  is  the  most 
fertile  field  in  which  these  human  failings  luxuriate,  yet  is 
there  much  reason  to  think  that  our  parent  nation  is  pre- 


436  LE    FEU-FOLLET, 

eminent  in  the  exhibition  of  the  peculiarity  first  mentioned. 
That  which  subsequently  awaited  Napoleon,  after  his  im 
prisonment  and  death,  was  now  exhibited  in  the  case  of 
Raoui  Yvard,  on  a  scale  suited  to  his  condition  and  renown. 
From  being  detested  in  the  English  fleet,  he  got  to  be 
honoured  and  extolled.  Now  that  he  was  dead  and  harm- 
less,  his  seamanship  could  be  praised,  his  chivalry  emulated, 
his  courage  glorified.  Winchester,  McBean,  O'Leary,  and 
Clinch,  attended  his  funeral,  quite  as  a  matter  of  course. 
They  had  proved  themselves  worthy  to  be  there;  but  many 
others  insisted  on  being  of  the  party.  Some  came  to  get  a 
last  look  of  so  celebrated  an  adventurer,  even  in  his  coffin  ; 
others  to  say  they  had  been  present;  and  not  a  few  to  catch 
a  glimpse  of  the  girl  whose  romantic,  but  innocent  passion, 
had  got  to  be  the  subject  of  much  discourse  in  the  ships. 
The  result  was  such  a  procession,  and  such  funeral  honours, 
as  threw  the  quiet  little  hamlet  of  St.  Agata  into  commo 
tion.  All  noted  the  particulars,  and  all  were  pleased  but 
Ghita.  On  her,  these  tardy  compliments  failed  of  their 
effect,  her  soul  being  engrossed  with  the  great  care  of 
petitioning  heaven  in  behalf  of  the  deceased. 

Andrea  Barrofaldi  and  Vito  Viti,  too,  figured  on  this 
occasion ;  the  latter  taking  care  to  let  all  who  would  listen, 
understand  how  closely  he  had  been  connected  with  "  Sir 
Smees ;"  no  longer  viewed  as  an  impostor,  but  honoured  as 
a  hero.  He  even  created  a  little  difficulty  in  claiming  a 
precedency  for  the  toga  over  arms  on  the  occasion;  well 
knowing  that  if  the  vice-governatore  got  a  conspicuous 
place  in  the  ceremony,  that  the  podesta  could  not  fail  to  be 
near  at  hand.  The  matter  was  settled  entirely  to  Andrea's 
satisfaction,  if  not  to  that  of  his  friend. 

To  confess  the  truth,  Nelson  was  not  sorry  for  what  had 
occurred.  When  he  learned  the  desperate  nature  of  Raoul's 
defence,  and  heard  some  traits  of  his  liberal  conduct  on 
various  occasionst  he  felt  a  generous  regret  at  his  death , 
but  he  thought  even  this  preferable  to  escape.  When  CufFe 
got  in,  and  brought  the  report  of  the  lugger's  fate,  though  he 
would  have  preferred  her  capture,  the  common  sentiment 
settled  down  into  a  feeling  that  both  lugger  and  commander 
had  fared  as  well  as  a  privateer  and  her  people  usually 
merited. 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  437 

As  a  matter  of  course,  those  concerned  in  the  capture, 
and  who  survived  the  affair,  reaped  some  advantages  from 
their  success.  England  seldom  fails  in  the  duty  of  confer 
ring  rewards,  more  especially  in  her  marine.  When  Cook 
returned  from  his  renowned  voyages,  it  was  not  to  meet 
with  persecution  and  neglect,  but  credit  and  justice.  Nelson 
knew  how  to  appreciate  that  spirit  and  enterprise,  which 
were  so  often  exercised  by  himself.  As  for  Sir  Frederick 
Dashwood,  little  could  be  done  besides  giving  his  name  an 
honourable  place  on  the  list  of  those  who  had  fallen  in  battle. 
His  heir  wore  mourning,  seemed  filled  with  sorrow,  and 
inwardly  rejoiced  at  being  a  baronet  with  some  thousands  a 
year.  Lyon  got  his  ship,  and,  from  that  moment,  he  ceased 
to  consider  the  chase  and  all  connected  with  le  Feu-Follet 
an  unprofitable  thing.  Airchy  followed  him  to  the  Terpsi 
chore,  with  visions  of  prize-money  before  his  eyes,  which 
were  tolerably  realized  in  the  course  of  the  succeeding  five 
years. 

Winchester  was  promoted  into  the  Ringdove,  and  Griffin 
became  first  of  the  Proserpine.  This,  of  course,  made  Yel- 
verton  second,  and  left  one  vacancy.  Thus  far  the  orders 
had  been  made  out,  when  Cuffe  dined  with  the  Admiral,  by 
invitation,  tete-a-tete. 

'*  One  of  my  objects  in  having  you  here  to-day,  Cuffe," 
observed  Nelson,  as  they  sat  together  over  their  wine,  the 
cabin  cleared,  "  was  to  say  something  about  the  vacant  berth 
in  your  gun-room,  and  the  other  was  to  beg  a  master's- 
mate  of  you,  in  behalf  of  Berry.  You  remember  that  some 
of  your  people  were  received  on  board  here,  before  you  got 
in,  the  other  day?" 

"  I  do,  my  lord ;  and  I  meant  to  make  my  acknowledg 
ments  for  the  favour.  The  poor  fellows  had  a  warm  time 
of  it  at  the  rocks,  and  deserved  comfortable  berths  after  it 
was  over." 

"  I  believe  we  gave  them  as  much — at  least,  I  know  few 
suffer  in  this  ship.  Well,  there  was  a  mate  among  them, 
who  is  a  little  advanced,  and  who  is  likely  to  stick  where  he 
ts,  by  what  I  learn.  We  want  just  such  a  man  for  the  hold, 
and  I  have  promised  my  Captain  to  speak  to  you  about  him. 
Don't  let  him  go  if  there 's  any  reason  for  wishing  to  retain 
37  * 


438  LE     PEU-FOLLET 

him  ;  but  we  have  three  seamen  ready  to  exchange  against 
him ;  good  fellows  too,  they  tell  me." 

Cufte  picked  some  nuts,  and  appeared  a  little  at  a  loss  for 
a  reply.  Nelson  saw  this,  and  he  fancied  the  other  reluc 
tant  to  give  up  his  mate. 

"  Well,  I  see  how  it  is,"  he  said,  smiling.  "  We  must  do 
without  him,  and  you  will  keep  your  Mr.  Clinch.  A  thorough 
officer  in  a  ship's  hold  is  an  advantage  not  to  be  thrown 
away ;  and  I  suppose,  if  Hotham  had  asked  such  a  thing  of 
old  Agamemnon,  he  might  have  whistled  for  the  favour. 
The  deuce  is  in  it,  if  we  do  not  get  as  good  a  mate  some 
where  !" 

"  It 's  not  that,  my  lord — you  're  welcome  to  the  man, 
though  a  better,  in  his  station,  cannot  be  had.  But,  I  was 
in  hopes  his  recent  good  conduct,  and  his  long  services,  might 
give  him  a  lift  into  the  vacant  gun-room  berth." 

The  Admiral  appeared  surprised,  while  he  did  not  seem 
to  be  exactly  pleased. 

"  It  has  a  hard  look,  I  grant  you,  CufFe,  to  keep  a  poor 
devil  ten  or  fifteen  years  in  the  same  station,  and  this,  too, 
after  he  has  served  long  enough  for  a  commission.  I  was 
a  captain  ten  years  younger  than  this  Mr.  Clinch  must  be 
to-day,  and  it  does  seem  hard;  and  yet  I  doubt  not  it  is  just. 
I  have  rarely  known  a  midshipman  or  a  mate  passed  over,  in 
this  way,  that  there  was  not  some  great  fault  at  the  bottom. 
We  must  think  of  the  service,  as  well  as  of  generosity." 

"  I  confess  all  this,  my  lord — and  yet  I  did  hope  poor 
Clinch's  delinquencies  would  at  length  be  forgotten." 

"  If  there  are  any  particular  reasons  for  it,  I  should  like 
to  hear  them." 

Cuffe  now  related  all  that  had  passed  between  himself  and 
the  master's-mate ;  taking  care  to  give  Jane  a  due  place  in 
his  history.  Nelson  began  to  twitch  the  stump  of  his  arm, 
and  by  the  time  the  story  was  told,  Clinch's  promotion  was 
settled.  An  order  was  sent  forthwith,  to  the  secretary,  to 
make  out  the  orders,  and  Cuffe  carried  them  back  with  him 
to  the  Proserpine  that  night,  when  he  returned  to  his  own 
ship. 

All  Nelson's  promotions  were  confirmed  by  the  Admiralty, 
pretty  much  as  a  matter  of  course.  Among  others  was  that 
of  Clinch,  who  now  became  the  junior  lieutenant  of  the  Pro- 


LE     FEU-FOLLET.  439 

serpine.  This  elevation  awakened  new  feelings  within  him. 
He  dressed  better ;  refrained  from  the  bottle ;  paid  more 
attention  to  his  mind ;  improved  in  manners,  by  keeping 
better  company  ;  and,  in  the  course  of  the  next  twelvemonth, 
had  made  rapid  advances  towards  respectability.  At  the 
end  of  that  time,  the  ship  was  sent  home ;  and  Jane,  in  hei 
imagination  at  least,  received  the  reward  of  all  her  virtuous 
constancy,  by  becoming  his  wife.  Nor  did  Cuffe  cease  his 
friendly  offices,  here.  He  succeeded  in  getting  Clinch  put 
in  command  of  a  cutter ;  in  which  he  captured  a  privateer, 
after  a  warm  action,  within  a  month.  This  success  pro 
cured  him  a  gun-brig,  and  with  her  he  was  still  more  for- 
turate ;  actually  cutting  out,  with  her  boats,  a  French  sloop- 
of-war,  that  was  not  half  manned,  it  is  true,  but  which  was 
still  considered  a  handsome  prize.  For  this  affair  he  got 
the  sloop ;  thus  demonstrating  the  caprice  of  fortune,  by 
whose  means  he  found  himself  a  commander  in  less  than 
three  years  after  he  had  been  a  mate.  Here  he  stuck,  how 
ever,  for  a  long  time,  until  he  got  another  sloop  in  fair  fight, 
when  he  was  posted.  From  that  moment  we  have  lost  sight 
of  him. 

Cuffe  being  sent  into  the  Gulf  of  Genoa,  shortly  after, 
seized  the  opportunity  to  restore  the  vice-governatore  and 
his  friend  to  their  native  island.  The  fame  of  their  deeds 
had  preceded  them,  exaggerated,  as  a  matter  of  course,  by 
the  tongue  of  rumour.  It  was  understood  that  the  two  El  bans 
were  actually  in  the  fight,  in  which  Raoul  Yvard  fell ;  and, 
there  being  no  one  to  deny  it,  many  even  believed  that  Vito 
Viti,  in  particular,  had  killed  the  corsair  with  his  own 
hand.  A  discreet  forbearance  on  the  part  of  the  podesta 
always  kept  the  matter  so  completely  involved  in  mystery 
that  we  question  if  any  traveller  who  should  visit  the  island, 
even  at  this  day,  would  be  able  to  learn  more  than  we  now 
tell  the  reader.  In  a  word,  the  podesta,  for  ever  after,  passed 
for  a  hero,  through  one  of  those  mysterious  processes  by 
which  men  sometimes  reach  fame  ;  quite  as  much,  perhaps, 
to  their  own  astonishment,  as  to  the  surprise  of  everybody 
else. 

As  for  Ithuel,  he  did  not  appear  in  America  for  many 
years.  When  he  did  return,  he  came  back  with  several 
thousand  dollars ;  how  obtained  no  one  knew,  nor  did  he 


440  LE    PEU-POLLBT. 

Choose  to  enter  into  particulars.  He  now  married  a  widow, 
and  settled  in  life.  In  due  time  he  "  experienced  religion," 
and,  at  this  moment,  is  an  active  abolitionist,  a  patron  of  the 
temperance  cause,  tee-totally,  and  a  general  terror  to  evil 
doers,  under  the  appellation  of  Deacon  Bolt. 

It  was  very,  different  with  the  meek,  pious  and  single- 
minded  Ghita ;  though  one  was  e'en  a  Roman  Catholic, 
and  the  other  a  Protestant,  and  that,  too,  of  the  Puritan 
school.  Our  heroine  had  little  of  this  world  left  to  live  for. 
She  continued,  however,  to  reside  with  her  uncle,  until  his 
days  were  numbered  ;  and  then  she  retired  to  a  convent, 
not  so  much  to  comply  with  any  religious  superstitions,  as 
to  be  able  to  pass  her  time,  uninterrupted,  in  repeating 
prayers  for  the  soul  of  Raoul.  To  her  latest  hour,  and  she 
lived  until  quite  recently,  did  this  pure-minded  creature 
devote  herself  to  what  she  believed  to  be  the  eternal  welfare 
of  the  man  who  had  so  interwoven  himself  with  her  virgin 
affections,  as  to  threaten,  at  one  time,  to  disturb  the  just 
ascendency  of  the  dread  Being  who  had  created  her. 


THE   END. 


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THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


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30)n-6,'14 


Cooper,   J.   F. 

TTnvAl  s  .  (     /ing- and- 


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